Rescue Me
by Edward's Eternal
Summary: A girl stuck on a ladder. A fast call to help out. But what is it about her that makes him feel so…protective? And what will he do about it? Could it be he needs rescuing as well?
1. Chapter 1

_**Originally written as a donation piece, I can now share this with you. I hadn't planned on doing so yet, but today is my birthday and I wanted to give something to my readers to say thanks. There is no set schedule for posting but it will be fairly regular - there is about 7 chapters in total as I have added to the orignal piece - the last are still being written. Thanks to MidNight Cougar for her beta work. **_

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_**~Edward~**_

Emmett's cellphone rang out with the ringtone for his wife, Rose, and I hid my grin at his groan. At six months pregnant, the calls had been increasing in frequency lately. I continued polishing the chrome on the fire truck as Emmett spoke quietly into the phone. And then his head snapped up. "She did what? You let her do that? How long has she been up there, Rosy?"

He listened for a moment and then sighed. "Don't cry, baby. I'll go talk to the Captain." He jumped up walking toward Carlisle's office. I shrugged, not understanding what was happening or who Rosy let go where or why she'd been there for so long. No doubt he would fill me in when he got back. I'd only been with this fire station for about eight weeks, having moved recently. Emmett and I connected right away and worked a lot of our shifts together. Today had been a quiet one with no calls so far, so we were washing and polishing up the fire trucks, instead of sitting around with the rest of the crew watching TV. Neither of us liked to stay still.

A few minutes later he reappeared. "Edward. I gotta go help Rosy with a situation. Carlisle said it was okay to take you with me. I might need back up. We can take his truck."

I jumped off the rig. "What kind of situation?"

"One of Rosy's girls is caught."

"Caught?"

"On a ladder. She can't get down."

I smirked a little. "Seriously, Em? Like a cat caught in a tree? We have to go coax some girl off a ladder?"

He nodded.

I shook my head, chuckling. "Fine. But I get to drive."

"Okay, I'm just going to grab a first aid kit, in case. Rose thinks she's hurt."

My amusement stopped. "How?"

"She said she saw blood."

Now I was serious. "Let's go."

_***()***_

I stood gaping at the above before me. Rose's restaurant had three large peaked window alcoves at the front. The ceilings soared to as least twenty-four feet tall and each alcove housed a huge chandelier, dripping with faceted crystals. Rising up from the floor beside one of the chandeliers was a ladder and perched on the top of it, completely immobile, was a slip of a girl. She was straddling the top of the ladder, perched so close to the edge my heart clenched at her precarious position. One of her hands was pressed against her chest, clenched in a fist so tight I could see the white of her knuckles from where I stood, while the other hand was gripping the top ledge of the metal rungs. A dark, wet line crossed her skin, whatever she was gripping so fiercely obviously cutting into her skin, the blood leaving a trail. Her face was blank, her eyes fixed on a spot on the chandelier, her gaze never wavering.

"What is she doing up there?" I hissed. She looked as though she could fall off any given second, especially the awkward way she was perched on the top, far too close to the edge for my liking. If she passed out or got dizzy…I swallowed heavily at the thought.

"Cleaning the chandelier," Rose offered.

"Why?"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "They were dusty?"

"Couldn't you get a service in for that?"

She shook her head. "We always do it. Bella says she does a better job."

"She always climbs up the ladder? This hasn't happened before?"

"Yes. She did the other two earlier this week, no problem. But today she went up and then just froze. She hasn't moved in like twenty minutes, and I can't get her to say a word!" Her lip started to tremble.

"She should have a safety harness on! If she fell —" I spat, my voice filled with anger.

Rose burst into tears and Emmett shot me a glare as he wrapped his arm around her. "Take it easy on her, Edward. She's pregnant for Christ's sake."

I pointed to the ceiling. "And we have an unresponsive woman who could fall any second. Sorry, to me, that is the priority." I shrugged out of my jacket, grabbed a couple of the rags from the pile on the table, and grasped the ladder. My eyes widened as I felt the slight shake to the metal. "Let go of your wife and hold this, Em. She is shaking so badly the ladder is trembling. I'm going up to get her."

"Her name is Bella," Rose sniffed.

I glanced up, wondering if we should call in the crew. I looked over at Em, who shook his head. He wanted to try this rescue ourselves. I softened my tone. "Okay, Rose. I'm going to go up and get Bella. Em—put Rose somewhere safe and come back and be prepared—in case. Hold the ladder tight for me. Be ready." Sighing, I began to climb the ladder, hoping I could get her down.

If she fell, we both needed to be ready.

*()*

Halfway up I started talking, not wanting to startle her, and hoping Bella could hear me. She gave no indication she even noticed me. When I was about three steps from her, I called her name. "Bella…I'm Edward. I'm a friend of Em's. I work with him at the fire station. I'm gonna help you down, okay?"

No response. Her dark eyes never wavered from the spot on the chandelier. I hesitated before climbing another few steps up, which had me hovering over her. She was even shorter than I thought she would be. For a moment I looked at her and then the chandelier. I had no idea what she was so focused on. All I could see was some dust and cobwebs. Slowly, so I didn't startle her, I slipped my hand under her belt at the back, gripping it tightly and sighing with relief that at least I was holding her if she shifted. Leaning closer, I kept my voice gentle. "Bella, can you hear me?" I felt rather than saw the smallest movement of her head. Glancing down, I frowned at her hand pressing into her chest. More blood was pooling around her closed fist, a few drops staining her shirt. I could see a small hook piercing the soft flesh between the thumb and fingers. Gently, I placed my hand over hers. "Bella, you're hurt. I need to get you off the ladder so I can look at your hand, okay? I need you to look at me so I can help you."

One word escaped her lips. "Please," she whispered.

The terror from the one word made my heart clench. She was so pale, her skin almost ashen against her dark hair. Her body shuddered with suppressed shivers and I knew she was struggling to remain still. Whatever was frightening her had put her in a complete meltdown. A surge of unexpected tenderness rushed through me as I gazed at her and the need to protect her filled me. I pressed closer, wanting to offer her the comfort of my body; for her to know I was there and she was safe. I lowered my lips close to her ear. "Show me, Bella. Show me what is scaring you and I'll make it stop. I'll make you safe."

For the first time her eyes wavered, flying to my face before they skittered back to the chandelier. I followed her gaze, trying to see what it was she was fixated on. A slight movement caught my eyes as a spider crawled up its web. Bella's body stiffened even further and the smallest of whimpers broke through her lips.

I looked again. Two cobwebs, two spiders. Not large, but certainly not small. Spinning their webs, working away, not bothered by her at all. But it would seem she was greatly bothered by them. I looked back at Bella and her terrified gaze. That was it. The spiders. I glanced down at how high we were off the floor. She had no problem climbing up and down this ladder unharnessed and perching on top to clean the crystals, but the simple sight of a spider had her in lockdown?

I kept my voice low and soothing as I reach behind me to grab a rag from my back pocket. "Bella, I'm going to get rid of the spiders, okay? They won't hurt you. I _won't _let them hurt you. I need you to turn your head though. Put it on my shoulder. Close your eyes. Can you do that for me?" I pressed slightly closer. "Please, sweetheart," I asked, surprised how easily that endearment rolled off my tongue for her.

Another tremor raced through her, but slowly she did as I asked. I unhooked my fingers from her belt and wrapped my arm around her, keeping us both steady as I reached out my other arm, quickly knocking down the webs and taking the spiders with them. I rolled the cloth up tightly and dropped it. "Get rid of that Em!" I called to him. "I'm bringing her down now!"

I tightened my arm around Bella. "The spiders are gone now. You can look and see." Her head lifted and she peeked over, her entire body shuddering in relief. She sagged against me and I grabbed the ladder to steady us both. "Okay, we're going down now. I need you to let me move you so we don't fall, okay? Stay relaxed, sweetheart. Don't fight me."

"Okay," she breathed.

I leaned back as far as I could while I shifted her so I stood between her legs. "I need you to hold me, Bella. Wrap your legs and arms around me."

As I felt her unsteady limbs follow my instructions, I wrapped my arm around her tightly and hoisted her off the top step, holding her close. Keeping one hand on the ladder, we began our slow descent.

The feel of her wrapped around me was mind-blowing. I had never experienced anything like it before. She felt…perfect. She didn't feel like someone I was helping and would soon walk away from, as I had done so many times in the past. She felt like she belonged nestled against me. Small and trembling, I wanted to cocoon her and keep her safe in my embrace. I wasn't sure I could let her go.

My feet hit the floor and I stepped back from the ladder, wrapping my other arm around Bella, completely enfolding her in my embrace. Her face was still buried in my chest and I could feel my shirt getting damp from her tears. Both Em and Rose moved forward, Em holding out his arms. "I'll take her."

Bella pressed herself closer, her body shaking, and I shook my head, almost growling at him. "No."

He stopped, his eyes widening.

"She's hurt. I need to look at her hand."

"I'll help."

"No." I grabbed the first aid kit off the table and looked at Rose. "Is there somewhere private?"

She nodded in confusion and pointed down the hall. "My office. It has a private bathroom."

"Okay." I started to walk away and turned back. "Get a service to finish that." I indicated above me with my chin and eyes. "She's not going back up there."

I could feel both their stares as I walked away.

*()*

I sat the first aid kit on the counter in the bathroom and grabbed the towel off the rack, laying it on the hard counter then slowly depositing Bella on it. I waited a moment before stepping back, hating to release her. Gently, I pulled her arms away and laid her hands on her lap. Bella's head stayed down as she sobbed soundlessly. I threw a facecloth under the running water and cupped her face, forcing her to lift her head. I stroked the damp cloth over her wet cheeks, whispering quietly to her. "Open your eyes for me, Bella. Please."

Blinking and embarrassed, her red-rimmed gaze met mine and I smiled at her. "Hi."

"I'm…so…s… s…sorry," she stammered out.

I shook my head, wiping at the fresh tears. "It's okay. Don't be sorry." I paused. "You have arachnophobia, don't you?"

She nodded.

"Does Rose know?"

"No. I don't like…to talk about it."

"You shouldn't be cleaning things up high then."

"Usually, Alice goes up first and wipes them down. She is off sick. The other… the other two were okay."

My fingers tightened on her face. "No more. Rose can get a service in to do it. It's too dangerous. You could have been seriously hurt."

I had no idea why I said that to her. It was none of my business what she did or didn't do.

Except I wanted to make it my business.

And as I watched her nod in agreement, hope flickered. Maybe she did as well.

I cradled her hand in mine. "I need to look at this—you were bleeding."

"Okay."

I opened her hand, wincing as what I saw. She had been gripping the crystal so tightly, the glass had cut into her flesh and the hook had pierced through her skin. I snapped on a pair of latex gloves and gently extracted the hook from her hand, before helping her off the counter and holding her hand under the running water. We were both quiet as we watched the water turn from red to pink to clear. Bella glanced up at me a couple times, our eyes meeting in the mirror. I towered over her, her head not even reaching my shoulders and I had both arms wrapped around her tiny frame as I stood behind her, cleaning her hand. When I was satisfied the bleeding had stopped, I shut off the water and wrapped her hand back up, before lifting her on to the counter again. It was easier on my back I told myself. It wasn't because this way I was closer to her. I examined the site, glad to see none of the cuts were deep enough to require stitches, even though they were nasty looking gashes. I found salve and bandages and dressed her hand tightly.

"It's going to be sore for a couple days."

"Okay."

"Tylenol will help."

She nodded.

"Thank you…Edward."

I smiled as I leaned on the counter, my arms resting at her sides. "You heard me. I wasn't sure you could."

"I did. I was just too…scared to talk."

"Your phobia is bad?"

"I try and deal with it. But at times it overwhelms me."

"Have you had it all your life?"

She drew in a deep breath, her eyes closing. "When I was about ten, some boys dumped a whole jar of spiders on me." She shivered as she spoke. "They were everywhere. My face, my hair, under my clothes. Crawling on me. I was so terrified, I passed out."

"I hope the little fuckers were punished," I growled out, my fists tightening in anger.

She nodded. "I think so, but I really don't remember. Except since that day—"

I reached up and brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. "You're terrified of them."

Her eyes opened, filled with fresh tears, and a look of shame clouding them. "I'm so sorry, Edward. I didn't mean to cause all these problems." She shook her head. "God, Rose had to call the fire department!"

"Shhh, it's fine." Without thinking, I pulled her into my arms, holding her shaking form against me once again. "Don't apologize, Bella. We all have fears. I'm glad I was the one to help you."

Her voice was muffled. "Me, too."

I drew back, looking at her. All around us, the air pulsated. The urge to kiss her was strong. Like nothing I'd ever felt in my life.

I shook my head.

_What was wrong with me?_

Still I looked at her, unable to break her gaze or understand how she could affect me so deeply. A sudden pounding on the door had me pulling back, startled.

"Edward! Carlisle called—we have a call—we gotta go! He'll meet us there!"

"Coming!"

I turned to Bella. "Take care of your hand. And I was serious—stay off ladders."

"I will," she whispered. "Thank you."

I couldn't resist bending down and brushing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"My pleasure."

I hesitated, but I knew I didn't have time to keep talking to her right now. I'd come back. I wanted to check on her and see if perhaps she wanted to see me again.

Still, I hated walking away from her.

* * *

**Somehow I don't think he will stay away. Hot fireward to the rescue.**

**And yes... I know the chances of this happening are like...nil. It's fiction. **

**If she's been wearing a safety harness and been fine there'd be no fic. **

**Thank you for reading. **

**See you soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Wow-your response to this blew me away. Thank you. You all love Fireward-Rescueward-Ladderward. I love the names you give him! **_

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_**~Bella~**_

I passed a shaky hand over my eyes. I was so tired. I knocked on Rose's door and stuck my head in. "Hey."

Rose looked up. "Bella, you're even paler now. Go home."

I nodded. "Sorry. Looks like I picked up Alice's bug."

She looked at me, shaking her head. "I doubt the other day helped either." Her voice was sad. "I wish you had told me about your phobia."

I sighed. "It's not something I talk about, Rose. Most people find it funny—they don't understand, so I simply try and deal with it. That's why Alice always goes up first." I paused and took a deep breath. "I didn't think they'd be in the sunniest place in the restaurant. The fuckers usually hide in the dark."

A smile tugged on Rose's lips.

"Anyway, I dropped off some cookies at the fire station this morning, and I thought maybe you could tell Emmett to extend a dinner invitation to, um, Edward? Him and his…girlfriend could come have dinner on me? To say thanks?"

She shook her head. "Edward is single, Bella. Although, I think he'd say yes to dinner—if it was with you."

I shrugged self-consciously. Edward had been larger than life the other day and made a huge impression on me. His low, warm voice had been the only thing to break through the intense panic I was feeling, and cradled in his arms, I had never felt safer. He hadn't made fun of my fear, instead showed me only understanding and kindness. He had been so gentle as he cleaned my hand, yet the look in his eyes when he stared at me in the bathroom, had given me shivers. I was certain if Emmett hadn't interrupted us, he would have kissed me.

And I wanted him to kiss me.

I had been hoping to see him this morning when I dropped off the cookies, but he and the crew were out on a fire alarm. So I had left the cookies with a short note to say thank you, hoping he'd get them when he came back to the station and enjoy them. I had also hoped he might call to say thank you back, but he hadn't. Now I was feeling tired, feverish and my hand was aching terribly; it had been all day and I must have used it too much, because now it felt like it was on fire.

"Go home, Bella."

I nodded. I was so tired and I really needed to lie down.

"I'll call you a cab. You look wiped—I don't think you should drive."

"No, I'll leave my car, but I'm going to walk. The fresh air will help clear my head."

"Call me later. Let me know how you are."

"I will."

The fresh air did feel good; cooling and soothing on my skin. But after only a couple blocks, my legs felt wobbly and I was exhausted. Even though I felt hot, I was shivering. I was grateful when I saw the empty bench at the bus stop. I sat down heavily, grateful to be able to stop walking for a short while.

I'd just rest for a few minutes.

I shut my eyes.

Just a few minutes.

_**~Edward~**_

"Cullen! You got a package!"

I jogged over to counter, mystified as to whom would be sending me something.

"Some girl dropped it off." Sam yawned. "Made me promise you'd get it."

"Girl?"

"Yeah, short, pretty, dark hair."

My heart started beating faster. "Did she leave a name?"

"Nah. She put a note in the box, though."

I grabbed the box and took it to my locker. The rest of the crew were already eating or showering so I sat down and lifted the lid, grinning widely at the cookies nestled in the box. I opened the folded slip of paper.

_**Thank you, Edward. A very small token of my appreciation. I hope you enjoy.**_

_**You're my hero. **_

_**Bella.**_

I grimaced a little, remembering the last time someone had called me a hero. It hadn't been meant as a compliment, but I hoped Bella did. I wanted her to. I shoved a cookie in my mouth, trying not to groan at the taste. Emmett had said Bella was an awesome baker. It was one of the many things I had gotten him to tell me about her. I shut my eyes as I chewed. He was right—they were amazing. I shut the lid and closed my locker before I went for my shower; I wasn't sharing.

And her thank you was the perfect excuse for me to go and see her—with a little thank you of my own.

***()***

"What do you mean she left? Em said she worked 'til nine." I frowned at Rose.

"She wasn't feeling well, so I sent her home."

"Not feeling well? How?"

"I think she caught Alice's flu. She was feverish and tired and said she was achy."

For some reason, her symptoms made me nervous. "How was her hand?"

"She mentioned it was sore. I saw her wincing more than once."

"I need her address. _Now_."

She hesitated.

"Look, Rose, I know you don't know me, but Emmett trusts me. I'm worried about her hand; I'm worried about an infection. I need to check it. Please. I'm not going to hurt her—I wouldn't do that."

She nodded. "Thirty-two Sycamore. Apartment E."

"Thanks." Turning, I started to hurry away

"Do you know where to go?" she shouted after me.

"I'll google it!" I called over my shoulder.

I was only two blocks away when I saw her. She was sitting on the bench at a bus stop, head lowered and not paying attention to anything going on around her. With a curse, I slammed on my brakes, bringing my car to a shuddering halt. The door flew open so hard, the hinges creaked loudly in protest as I heaved myself out and hurried over to Bella. I sat beside her, calling her name softly, as my hand cupped her face. She was burning up. Her eyes blinked open, their gaze unfocused and glossy.

"Edward?"

"Bella, what are you doing?"

She smiled weakly. "Just taking a break. I think I have the flu." She lifted her bandaged hand, brushing it over her forehead, the action causing a wince. "I'm kinda warm and the walk was making me tired."

_Taking a break._ I shook my head in barely repressed frustration. She was almost asleep when I pulled up—thank God I found her.

I gently pulled her hand toward me. "Can I look at this, Bella?"

She frowned, pulling it back. "I know I didn't do a good job re-bandaging it. I tried—at least it's covered."

"You did fine," I soothed. " Let me see it, please?"

She sighed wearily. "Could I ask you a favor?"

"Anything."

"Could I ask you to drive me home? I'm…really not feeling well."

"I'll drive you home, sweetheart. But first, let me see your hand."

Silently, she held it out. I was gentle as I unwrapped the badly done bandage, cursing lowly when I saw the red swollen skin of her hand and the red streaks running from the cut. It was definitely infected. I glanced up at her, noting the sheen to her skin and the tremors racing through her body as she sat beside me. I rewrapped her hand and leaned over, startling her as I scooped her up into my arms and started walking to my car, but she didn't fight me. "Are you taking me home now?" She asked tiredly.

"No. You need to see a doctor. I'm taking you to the hospital."

Her head pressed against my chest. "Do I have to?"

I bit back a grin at her petulance.

"Your hand is infected. So, yes."

"Fine," she huffed.

But I didn't fail to notice how she nestled closer into my embrace and this time I didn't stop my smile.

***()***

"Just drop me off, Edward. It'll take ages for a doctor to see me. You don't have to wait."

I rolled my eyes as I pulled up outside the ER. "I'm not leaving you."

"But—"

"You won't wait, either."

I opened her door and gathered her back up in my arms. I loved how she leaned right into me even as she muttered about being able to walk. The side door opened and a paramedic came out, holding up his hand.

"You can't park…oh, hey, Edward."

"Jake—I've got an urgent case here. Is Leah on-call tonight?"

He nodded. "You want me to get her?"

"Please."

"Okay—the exam room at the back is open. I'll keep an eye on your car while I do my paperwork."

"Great. Thanks Jake."

***()***

Bella winced again as Leah finished her exam. She leaned heavily into my chest the whole time. I stood beside her, my arm wrapped around her waist, and held her shaky hand steady for Leah.

Leah shook her head. "Very badly infected, and I think there's a sliver of glass in there."

"Damn it." I must have missed it.

"I'll get it out, give you a tetanus shot and some antibiotics and you'll start feeling better soon, Bella," she said kindly to her and then looked at me. "I'd feel better getting some fluids into her as well, but she'd have to stay for a few hours and we're full up out front."

"Start it up and I'll look after her at home, Leah." I was fully trained as a paramedic as well as a firefighter, so I could easily handle looking after an IV for Bella.

Leah's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and I smirked at her but offered no explanation. I knew how shocked she had been to see me appear with a woman in my arms as it was, never mind telling her I would care for her.

"Okay, then. I'll add something to help with the fever as well. I'll go get what I need."

I glanced down at Bella, who had her eyes closed as she rested against my chest, once again surprised at how strong the need to care for her felt. I wiped the cool cloth over her face again, and she sighed softly but didn't open her eyes. Her fever was raging and depleting her strength rapidly. I needed to get her home and in bed so she could rest and let the antibiotics work. I was grateful I was off for the next couple days so I could watch over her. I had the feeling even though her friends cared for her, they didn't look after her the way she needed to be right now. Not the way I wanted to look after her.

A sharp, nasty memory ran though my head. I could hear Irina's voice, telling me how tired she was of my hero complex. How irritating I was to her and she wanted nothing to do with me anymore. She hated being looked after and I constantly struggled against my nature to want to care for her. Our relationship had been a disaster, and the main reason I had decided to move and start over. Having your ex-girlfriend start working in the same firehouse you worked at, was not a good idea. Especially when she had no problem showing her distaste for you, or hiding the fact she was sleeping with more than one of the other members of the staff in the house. It had been too much to handle.

I looked back at Bella thoughtfully—was I doing it again? Did I want to be Bella's hero? Were Irina's cruel words right? Would Bella feel the same way?

She stirred a little and her eyes opened. I smiled down at her, running my fingers down her cheek. "It's okay, Bella. You'll feel better soon. I'll look after you."

Her head fell back to my chest again. "Thank you," she breathed.

My arms tightened around her as she relaxed into me, her trust complete and heartwarming.

I _did_ want to be her hero.

I could only hope she wanted it as well.

* * *

**I will have another chapter next week...thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**~Bella~**_

I shifted and stretched languidly. God, I was comfortable. My bed had never felt this good before now. I inhaled deeply and frowned. My bed never smelled this good before, either. Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking as they focused. I was confused as I took in my surroundings.

This was not my bed. This was not my bedroom.

I started to sit up, but a rush of dizziness hit me, and I gasped softly as I fell back to the pillow.

"Shh, Bella, it's okay. You're okay, sweetheart."

My gaze flew to the source of the warm, tender voice, my eyes widening as I realized it was Edward. He was sitting in a chair beside the bed, his hand laid gently on my arm. His green eyes were soft as he gazed at me. "You're safe."

"Where am I?" I whispered, my voice rough.

Edward picked up a glass and slipped his arm under my shoulders, lifting my head. "Drink."

I slipped the cool liquid gratefully, the water tasting like heaven.

"Not too much yet. You can have more in a minute." He smiled at me as he laid me back on the fluffy pillow. I looked down, noticing the needle in my hand and the fact I was wearing a shirt that didn't belong to me. I started to panic. "Edward?"

"You're safe," he repeated. "I brought you home with me. My home."

"Why?"

He frowned and leaned closer, brushing the hair off my forehead. "Bella, you had an infection. I found you sitting, almost passed out on a bench at the bus stop."

I tried desperately to recall what had happened. "I remember leaving the restaurant." My brow furrowed as I tried to think. "I was going to walk home because I had the flu."

He picked up my hand. "It wasn't the flu. Your hand was infected—badly. Your fever was off the charts. I took you to the hospital. I'm not surprised you can't remember."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I couldn't take you home and leave you alone. I thought if you were here, at least I knew where everything was, so I could care for you better."

I fingered the soft material of the flannel shirt I was wearing. Edward smiled at me. "Your fever was so high you were soaked, Bella. I had to change your shirt a couple of times until it broke. That's my shirt." He winked at me. "You look cute in it." Then his voice became serious again. "I only changed your shirt. I left your leggings on."

"I believe you."

"Good. I wanted to make sure you were okay." He ran his hand through his hair. "I was so worried."

"I can't believe you did that. You don't even know me."

He tilted his head. "I know you well enough to know you needed someone to look after you."

"Oh," I breathed out.

He lifted me again and let me drink more. "And, I know you make awesome cookies." He grinned as he laid me back down.

"You got them?"

"I did, thank you. I _didn't_ share, by the way."

I had to smile at his gleeful remark.

"How long have I been here?"

"Since early last night." He glanced over at the clock. "I came to thank you for the cookies and Rose said you were ill, so I went to find you. It's almost five a.m. now."

"Have you been up all night watching me?"

He shrugged. "I dozed."

"Edward…I don't know what to say. No one has ever done anything like that for me."

"I wanted you better, Bella. I felt…responsible."

"Responsible? How?"

"I missed the sliver of glass that was in your hand. It was very tiny, but I should have checked it better. I should have insisted you go to the hospital that day and have it checked. "

A ripple of disappointment ran through me. I was a responsibility to him. Something he _had_ to do, because he felt he made a mistake. I could feel unbidden tears burning behind my eyes, and I blinked. "Could I…um…get up?"

He frowned. "What is it? Bella, what's wrong?"

I shook my head, struggling not to cry. I didn't want to simply be a responsibility to this man. Not like that. "I…ah…I need the bathroom."

He jumped up. "Oh, shit, of course." Leaning down, he scooped me up, after placing the IV bag on my lap.

"I can walk."

"No. Not yet—I don't want you to fall. I'll take out the IV when you're done, and once you've rested more, you can walk."

After he left with instructions to call him when I was done, I let the tears flow, stifling my sobs with a towel. I had no idea why I was so upset. I hardly knew him.

I _wanted_ to know him, though.

I wanted to know everything about him.

_**~Edward~**_

I don't know what happened, but something I'd said had upset Bella. Her face had saddened and her dark eyes became downcast as I was explaining how ill she had been, then she had asked to get up. I was certain she was trying not to cry, and I wanted to know why.

When she was ready, I took her back to bed and, as promised, removed the IV, gave her the meds Leah had provided, and some juice. The whole time, Bella was polite and withdrawn. I wanted to push her, but I could see she was still exhausted. "Could I have my clothes?" she asked quietly.

"Why?" I questioned, mystified.

"I should go home. I've inconvenienced you long enough. You need your sleep, so I'll go home and rest."

I stared at her, horrified. "No, Bella. _Please_, you can't go!"

For the first time since coming out of the bathroom, she looked at me. She _had_ been crying. The question was why. But it was the scared way she was looking at me that I had to address first.

I sat down across from her, taking her hands in mine, being sure to hold the bandaged one gently. "I didn't mean it like that. If you really want to go home, I'll take you. But you can't be alone. Stay here and let me look after you." I paused. "I _want_ to look after you."

"It wasn't your fault, Edward. You don't have to look after me because you feel guilty. I'll be fine on my own." She shrugged sadly. "I always am."

My breath caught in my throat in sudden understanding. "Not anymore."

"What?" she whispered.

"You don't have to be alone anymore. I'm not looking after you because I feel guilty. I feel bad that I missed the glass, because you got an infection, but that's not why I'm looking after you."

Her eyes beseeched me, and I gently cupped her face. "I felt something when I carried you off that ladder, Bella. A connection. I didn't want to let you go then, and I don't want to let you go now."

Her hand covered mine.

"Did you feel it?" I whispered.

"I did."

My thumb stroked her cheek, feeling the dampness that still lingered. "Is that why you were crying?"

"I don't want to be a responsibility to you, Edward. I want to be…more."

"Ah, sweetheart, you already are." Gently, I pulled her forward, brushing her lips with mine. Then I frowned. She was still warm. "You need to stay. Please."

"As long as you're sure—"

"I am."

I stood up and lifted the covers, helping her slide in. "We'll talk more when you wake up. You need the rest."

"So do you. Will you lie down beside me?"

Now it was my turn to ask. "Are _you _sure?"

She didn't hesitate. "Yes."

Her trust was touching. "Yeah, sweetheart. If you want me to, I will."

She smiled sweetly at me, and I kissed her again. A gentle caress of my lips to her soft, full ones that made us both sigh when we drew apart. I made sure she was comfortable, and then I walked around and slid in beside her. She rolled over, facing me, and I drew my hand down her cheek. "Sleep, Bella. I'll be here when you wake up."

Our fingers laced together, and I watched her eyes shut, her body relaxed, and she slipped into sleep, still holding my hand.

It felt so right, having her beside me.

_***()***_

I woke up, immediately looking for Bella and panicking when I found her side of the bed empty. I jumped out of bed, and rushed to the door, only to stop short when I saw her curled into the corner of the couch, reading a magazine. I laughed softly at the sight of her. "I can't believe you're finding much interesting in my _Car and Driver_, Bella. Certainly not interesting enough to get out of bed for." I crossed the room and sat in front of her on the coffee table, taking in her appearance. Her eyes were clearer, and the abnormal flush gone from her cheeks. She still looked drawn, but better. "Why are you up, sweetheart? Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I feel better. You were up all night watching over me, so when I woke up, I came out here so you could rest. I didn't want to disturb you."

I didn't tell her I would far rather she disturbed me and been able to wake up beside her than to an empty bed. Instead, I smiled at her and leaning forward, pressed my lips to her forehead. "You can disturb me anytime, Bella." I grinned at her. "You're cooler—fever's gone."

She smiled up at me. "Is that your professional opinion, Edward? Is that how you check on people out in the field?" she asked in a teasing voice.

"Nope. Only those I find passed out on bus stop benches."

"Ah." Her smile became shy. "Thank you…for that. And for looking after me."

"You're welcome." I picked up her hand. "Can I look at this?"

She nodded, and I was pleased to see it looked better. The redness and swelling had gone down. "We'll leave the bandage off for a bit, and then I'll clean and redress it."

"You can do that before I leave, right?"

I frowned. "Are you in a hurry to leave?"

Her voice was quiet. "No."

"Good. I have the day off, and I want you around with me."

"I'd like that, too."

"We need to keep your hand dry, but how about a bath, and I'll give you something fresh to wear. I'll rustle us up some breakfast, and then maybe we can watch a movie and just relax for a while?"

"I'm not taking you away from anything?"

"Trust me, Bella, there is nowhere I'd rather be, and nothing I would rather do than spend the day with you."

She bit her lip. "You're sure I'm not a bother?"

"No. Not a bother."

"I need to call Rose."

"I already texted Emmett, and he let Rose know you won't be there for a couple of days." At her surprised look, I ran my finger over her hand. "This needs to heal, and you need to rest after that fever. It only makes sense." Then I shook my head in frustration. "I overstepped, didn't I? I shouldn't have done that. I was only trying to help…" I sat up and ran my hands through my hair. "Sorry, Bella, I've been told I'm an overprotective, possessive bastard." I barked out a humorless laugh. "Guess she was right."

Bella's hand came up and grasped mine, pulling it from my hair. "I'm not upset, Edward. That was very thoughtful of you to let Rose know. And you're right—I need to rest."

"You're not…upset?"

"No. But maybe we need to discuss this overprotective, possessive attitude of yours?"

"Once you've rested a little more."

"Maybe we need to add bossy to that list."

I laughed at her teasing. She didn't seem worried or upset.

Lifting her hand, I pressed a gentle kiss to her palm.

"Maybe so."

* * *

**Another update next week. Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**~Edward~**

I glanced over at Bella again. She looked so right curled into the corner of my couch. My sweatshirt and boxers were far too long and big on her, but she looked adorable with her dark hair falling past her shoulders and her hands tucked up into the sleeves as she watched the end of the movie. Her hand was cleaned and well-bandaged and I planned on keeping a close eye on it, and _her_, if she'd let me. Her gaze left the TV, and she smiled shyly at me. I smiled back, extending my hand, thrilled when she placed her tiny palm into mine without hesitating. I slid closer to her on the couch. "Feeling better?"

She nodded. "Much. You took such good care of me, Edward." She hesitated and squeezed my hand. "That's twice you've been my hero and rescued me."

I regarded her quietly for a moment. "How do you feel about that, Bella? Me rescuing you?"

Her head tilted, and her voice was soft. "Cared for. Safe."

I slid a little nearer, wanting to be closer to her. "Can I ask you for something? One thing?"

Her dark eyes were wide. "You can ask me anything."

"I want to kiss you, Bella. Just once. Please?"

She nodded, and I reached for her, gathering her into my arms, where I'd wanted her for days.

Her mouth was so soft. Warm. Sweet. Her tongue was like velvet, meeting mine and teasing me. The air seemed to pulsate with the heat I could feel building between us. With a low moan, I pushed closer, cupping her head and deepening the kiss, exploring her mouth. My body hummed in satisfaction holding her this close. Her good hand grasped my shirt, holding tight, and I never wanted to let her go, hating the fact I had to; at least for now.

Regretfully, I stopped, dropping gentle kisses to her lips and then moving back, releasing her from my grip.

Her eyes fluttered open, and her smile was gentle. "Can I ask _you_ something now?" she murmured.

My thumb traced her bottom lip, memorizing its shape. "Yes."

"Do you still only want that…just once?"

I chuckled lowly. "No. But I was worried it may be the only time you let me kiss you."

She released my shirt, smoothing it down with her fingers, and shook her head. "Somehow, I doubt that."

"I hope you still feel that way after we talk."

She reached for my hand, squeezing it. "Then talk."

I sighed. "Bella, I'm a pretty steady guy. I knew early on I wanted to be a firefighter, and that never changed. I had the same girlfriend all through high school, and she was the one who broke it off when she went to college." I shrugged self-consciously. "She wanted the whole experience, you know? She didn't want a boyfriend tying her down. We were young, so it was bound to happen, I suppose."

She tightened her grip on my hand in quiet support and I looked down at our entwined fingers before I spoke again. "I dated casually for a few years, but it wasn't really my thing. My first year as a firefighter, I met Irina."

"Irina. Is she…the person who called you over-protective and possessive?"

"Yes."

"You loved her?" she asked quietly.

"I thought I did. I thought she felt the same way. But…it wasn't a good relationship."

"How?"

I gazed at her for a moment. "I'm…"

"What?"

"I'm an all-in guy, Bella. When I care for someone, they become my priority. It's just how I am. My father was like that with my mother—he still is—and it's the only way I know. It's what I like, what I'm comfortable with."

"That doesn't sound like a bad thing, Edward."

"I never thought so."

"Irina did, though?"

"At first, no. At least, not that she indicated. But then she started telling me how…suffocating I was. How much my old-fashioned ways were inane and over the top."

She frowned. "Old-fashioned ways?" She paused. "Do you like to, ah, control everything?"

I shook my head. "No. We had our own lives and interests, as well as being together. I didn't dictate anything to her—that isn't my style."

"What is your style?"

"I opened doors for her, brought her flowers. If she was studying or working late, I'd drop by and bring her dinner or coffee. Make her breakfast so she could sleep in after a long shift. Pick up her dry cleaning to save her a trip, take her car and fill it with gas—little things."

"Those sound like thoughtful gestures, Edward. Hardly suffocating."

"She said they made her feel as though I was trying to be a hero for her all the time. She informed me I was exhausting. She hated it when I opened a door for her, or pulled her chair out at a restaurant. She said it made her feel as though I was flaunting my masculinity. She disliked holding my hand in public, or me showing any kind of affection toward her." I grimaced as I remembered her words. "She felt I was trying to stake a claim or something. She called me possessive."

Bella snorted and clapped a hand over her mouth. I grinned at her odd reaction. "What?"

"I think someone took herself a little too seriously. You were being you. Couldn't she appreciate that?"

I stared at her. I had never thought of it that way_._ I shook my head. "It finally got to the point that I couldn't remember why we got together in the first place. Nothing I did pleased her. _God_, if I paid for a meal when we were out, it caused a problem. Any gesture to show I cared, she found fault with…and we split up."

"She hurt you."

"Yes." I paused. "It was for the best though, since neither of us were happy. But then, she transferred into the same firehouse as mine."

"That must have been uncomfortable."

"It shouldn't have been. It had been almost a year. I was better off without her, and I knew she had moved on. We're both adults, so I thought we'd handle it. But she had…changed even more."

"How?"

"Now that she was a paramedic, it was as if she had to prove herself. Be one of the guys. Fit in. She was…so _hard_, Bella. There was nothing left of the girl I'd thought I loved. She was almost cruel with her stories she liked to share about her ex. His hero complex. His needy disposition, and his possessive, overprotective tendencies."

"You."

"Yes. She never said my name, but most of the guys knew. And she was so critical of me… Every chance she got, she found a way to make some nasty remark." He paused. "And she loved to flaunt her…um…fuck buddies in my face. Several of who were newer guys at the house."

She stared at me in horror. "Edward—" she breathed. "How awful."

"I was embarrassed to think I had ever cared, Bella. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, and I put in for a transfer."

"Why here?"

"My parents live not far away—it's only a couple hours away by car. My older cousin, Carlisle, is the chief here, and he helped me with the transfer. It was time to come closer to home. I needed…"

"A fresh start?"

I nodded.

"Are you close with your parents?"

"I like to think so. I'm an only child, and we get on really well. I enjoy spending time with them." I grinned. "They don't like travelling much, so I go visit them—probably not as often as I should—but fairly regularly. What about you?"

"I'm an only child, too. I'm closer to my dad than I am to my mom. She's, ah, a _busy_ person and is hard to keep up with. I only see my dad every year or so, since it's so expensive to fly. But we talk a lot. He makes the effort to stay in touch."

From the hurt in her voice, I had a feeling there was more to the story, especially in regards to her mom, but for now, I let it go. If I had my way, we'd have plenty of time to get to know everything about each other.

I shrugged self-conciously. "So, now you know my story—"

Bella picked up my hand again. "I'm sorry you went through that, Edward. But, I'm glad you're here."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "I'm thinking we should send my ex to meet yours. They sound perfect for each other."

"Why?"

She smiled sadly. "I'm sort of the same as you, Edward. I give all I can to a relationship. But according to my ex, Mike, I was clingy and needy."

"In what way?"

She shrugged. "Much like you, I think. I'd take him dinner if he was working late, text him to let him know I was thinking about him, see how his day was." She chuckled. "I even picked up his dry cleaning for him as well." Her face darkened. "The day he broke up with me, he said I pushed too hard, and he needed space." She slipped her hand from mine and began to fidget with the sleeves of my sweatshirt. "He said a few other things, like how dull and plain I was, and how I should be grateful he even tried to have a relationship with me."

My anger spiked at her quiet words. "He sounds like an asshole."

The fidgeting increased. "He told me I was way too much work, with very little reward." Her mortified gaze met mine briefly. "My clumsiness embarrassed him a lot. He saw my reaction to a spider once, and thought it was the funniest thing ever. He loved to tell me he had seen one in the apartment, just to see my response. "

"No guy who's a real man would want to see the person they care for upset or take pleasure from making them scared. Asshole doesn't even cover it," I growled. "He's an over-grown frat boy who needs to grow up."

Her gaze remained fixed on her hands.

I took in a deep breath—it was my turn to offer her some comfort. I cupped her cheek, stroking the soft skin gently. "I'm sorry, Bella. You're anything but plain and dull, sweetheart. I think you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

Her cheeks bloomed with color, the warmth spreading under my fingers. "He's the one with the problem. He couldn't see what a special person he had right in front of him. Obviously, the man is an idiot."

She shrugged, a small smile tugging on her lips. "I found out he was already seeing someone else, even before I became so _needy_. He moved on very quickly, and really, it was for the best. He was pretty selfish and self-absorbed. I think those two would be great together."

I chuckled at her, lifting her hand to my lips to press a gentle kiss to the skin. "I'd much rather concentrate on how good we'd be together."

Her cheeks darkened more. "I'd like that, too."

I shifted closer to her. "So if we started seeing each other, Bella, does that mean you'll be all clingy and needy with me? Will you drop by the fire station with dinner or cookies for me?"

"Maybe," she whispered.

"And call me…text me…to say hello?"

"Um, yes?"

"Find your way into my bed…and my heart, Bella?"

She giggled. "I kinda already found my way into your bed, Edward."

I leaned forward, and brushed my lips against hers. "I think you found a way into my heart, as well."

She blinked at me, biting her lip. "If you're overprotective and bossy, does that mean you'll check on me and tell me not to climb ladders?"

"Definitely." I smiled at her.

"The spider thing…"

"I'll check every room, Bella."

"Will you rescue me again? Be my hero?"

"If you let me." I drew in a deep breath. "Contrary to what Irina thought, I never consciously tried to be her hero. But I want…I want to be your hero, sweetheart. I want to be the person you turn to. More than I have ever wanted anything before."

"You already are, Edward. You have no idea how much you affected me the other day… or now."

"I like affecting you."

"I, um, I might need a lot of rescuing. I fall down a lot. I'm a bit klutzy."

"Okay, then. The ladder thing holds. No more climbing them unless I'm there. And klutzy? I can handle that. I'll keep you close so you don't fall so much. If you do"—I shrugged— "well, I can kiss and make things better…_really_ well."

"You might get tired of it. Rescuing me, I mean."

I grinned at her playfully. "I doubt that. Besides, I'm the only one who _can _rescue you—possessive, too, remember?"

"I'm good with that."

"Quite the pair we are."

"Will you…hold me if I need you to?"

My voice dropped. "Anytime."

"I like being held by you."

I pulled her onto my lap. "I like holding you."

Her fingers traced the ink on my forearm, barely visible under my rolled up shirt sleeve. I had noticed her looking at it more than once, but waited for her to bring it up. "How far up does your tattoo go?"

"To my shoulder."

"Will you…show it to me?"

"Anytime you want to see it."

"Soon."

I nuzzled her cheek. "Just say the word."

She giggled softly and I drew back. "Do you mind my scruff, Bella? Would you prefer if I shaved every day?"

Running her fingers over my chin, she shook her head. "No, I like your scruff. I like how it feels against my skin."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She hesitated, and then cupped my cheek. "Edward, I don't want you to change _anything._ I like you the way you are right here, right now."

My chest warmed at her words.

"Same here, sweetheart," I assured her.

She tilted her head, her dark eyes searching. "So we're…" Her voice trailed off.

"Together."

She sighed in contentment. "Together. I like that. And I like it when you rescue me."

"I like you," I murmured, as my mouth covered hers.

It was time I gave my girl some serious mouth-to-mouth.

My girl.

Yeah, I liked that.

* * *

**Thank you for your support of this fic. Your kind words are so lovely and they make me smile.**

**Update on the weekend.**


	5. Chapter 5

_**~Edward~**_

"Cullen! You got a delivery!"

I grinned as I swung myself off the truck. A delivery meant Bella had dropped by while we were out on a call. That meant there was a package of cookies or a container filled with one of her delicious meals waiting for me. In the three weeks we'd been dating, she'd dropped something off every few days. I loved being here when she did—seeing her face light up as I came around the corner and the way her cheeks would flood with color as I kissed her warmly to say hello…and then again to say thank you for whatever the container in her hands held. She was so hesitant the first couple times, worried about my reaction, but now she _knew_, without a doubt, how much I loved seeing her unexpectedly. I adored how easily she accepted my affection—never shy about returning my kisses or letting me hold her hand anytime I wanted to.

Her texts brightened my day, and I loved hearing her voice as my wake-up calls. Nothing warmed me faster than hearing her breathy voice murmuring in my ear as I slowly woke up. I did the same for her when I could; popping by the restaurant to give her flowers or have a few minutes with her over a cup of coffee if she could take a break. I sent her funny texts and pictures, knowing they would make her smile. I loved every moment I could spend or share with her.

I jogged over to the desk, only to find it empty. "Where is it?" I growled at Sam. "Did you eat it?"

He chuckled as he jerked his thumb in the direction of the lounge. "Your package is in there. It was too big to stay on my desk. Besides, I knew you wouldn't like it."

My curiosity was peaked. What had she left that was so big, Sam had to put it elsewhere?

As I entered the lounge, my question was answered, and my smile couldn't be contained when I saw that Bella herself was there—which was the best thing possible. I hadn't seen her in two days, and she looked amazing to me—sweet and pretty—her warm smile lighting up her face.

"Sam said you were on your way back and I should wait. I hope that's okay."

I crossed the room and pulled her against me. "More than okay; it's perfect," I growled and covered her mouth with mine. "I missed you."

Her taste exploded in my mouth, and groaning, I pulled her closer, burying my hands into her thick hair. She made that sound—_my sound_— in the back of her throat, a soft, fluttering sigh and I smiled against her lips. I loved that sound.

"Ah, jeez, you two. Again?" Emmett groaned as he walked past us, slapping my shoulder. "I should have taken Ben with me that day and spared my eyes all this indecent canoodling."

I lifted my head from Bella's and glared at his amused face. "Indecent _canoodling_? Been doing the crosswords again, Emmett? Learning some new words?"

Bella giggled, her shoulders shaking as she buried her head into my chest. I tilted her face up, smiling at her flushed cheeks and embarrassed gaze. I dropped another deep kiss on her very inviting lips, ignoring Emmett's protests.

"You learn lots of new words with the crosswords! I got a whole bunch of new phrases to use!"

I leaned down and scooped up the container Bella had brought for me, wrapping an arm around her waist as I led her to the door. "Here's one," I informed him. "Bite me."

"You wish!" he called after me as I steered Bella toward the kitchen, hoping she'd have time for a coffee before she had to leave.

"You can bite me anytime…" She winked up at me as she leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Count on it, Ms. Swan."

_***()***_

"I need more hands." I grinned at Bella.

She glanced down at the table and began to laugh. I had one hand wrapped around hers, our fingers entwined. The other hand held one of her huge peanut butter cookies I loved. My coffee cup sat beside me and I wanted a sip, but really didn't want to release either of the sweet treats I was holding. Shaking her head, she withdrew her hand and pushed my coffee in front of me. I pouted slightly, but took a sip of the dark brew as I studied her. I traced a finger along a new bruise on her forearm. "What happened?"

"I had an argument with the file cabinet. I lost."

I shook my head, lifting her arm and pressing a kiss to the purple mark. She was right when she told me she was clumsy. She tripped a lot, ran into furniture daily, and the tips of her fingers were often covered in Band-Aids. Bruises and cuts seemed to be a way of life for her. Luckily, there had been no further spider run-ins or huge accidents, and she had stayed off the ladder. Simply the _thought _of her up that high, made me shudder. Kissing her scrapes and keeping her upright when we were walking had been about the total sum of my protection so far. Her hand had healed well, once the infection cleared up. I kept an eye on it, _and_ her, until I was satisfied it was okay. She seemed fine with my need to care for her, offering me an indulgent smile when I would fuss over her.

Today, she seemed more nervous than normal—more like she had been at the beginning of our relationship, when she would drop by, looking hesitant. "Hey," I called softly, waiting until her dark eyes looked at me. "What's up, sweetheart? You seem rather…serious. Everything okay?"

She nodded as she picked up her mug, but I wasn't fooled for a second. She was biting on her lip, and her fingers were playing with the loose threads of her sleeve. I snapped the lid back on the container and flipped my hand open, palm side up, on the table. "Bella."

She sighed and placed her hand back in mine. "Tell me," I urged quietly.

Her fingers moved, running over the tattoo on my arm. She loved tracing the design and I loved the feeling of her fingers on my skin. "Are you still off Thursday and Friday?"

"Yes. Did you ask Rose for the days off?" I was hoping we could spend more time together.

"She said it wasn't a problem. She even said I didn't need to be back until dinner service on Saturday evening—and I know you have the evening shift that week, so I was thinking…" Her voice trailed off.

"Thinking?" I prompted.

"There's this great little place I saw online. All small, private cabins by a lake—not too far from here. Only a couple of hours away by car."

My heart started to beat faster. Was she asking what I thought, what I _hoped _she was asking?

I smiled. "Sounds nice."

The words came out in a rush. "I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go. To the lake. With me."

I arched my eyebrow at her. "Why, Ms. Swan, are you asking me to go to some secluded cabin"—I leaned forward, dropping my voice—"in order to seduce me?"

Her eyes widened, color flooding her cheeks. "Does that, ah, shock you?"

"Totally."

Panic set in, and her words came even faster as she grabbed her phone, trying to locate the site she was describing. "I thought you'd like it! We can go in a boat on the water and there are trails we can walk on and explore. The restaurant is supposed to be amazing," she babbled. "Each cabin has its own hot tub and a king-sized bed! It looked really nice!"

I dragged her chair closer. I covered her hand with mine to stop the clumsy typing. Backspace was being hit far too often with her nervous fingers. "Is there room service, Bella?"

"Um, yes?"

"That's good."

"It is?"

I pulled her against me, my lips close to her ear. "Once I get you alone in a cabin with a hot tub _and_ a big bed? I doubt we're leaving for anything as trivial as food until we absolutely have to." I flicked my tongue on her lobe, enjoying the shiver of anticipation that rippled through her. "And you can forget the boats and trails. The only thing I want to explore…is you."

She tilted her head back, a shy grin lighting her face. "Yeah?"

I nodded. "Yeah." She still looked nervous though.

"Are you sure, sweetheart? You're ready for this?" I traced a finger down her soft cheek. "Once I've made you mine—completely— I won't be able to let you go."

"Yes," she breathed. "I want to be yours."

I kissed her warmly. "Then let the seduction begin."

_***()***_

_**~Bella~**_

"_Then let the seduction begin."_

Remembering Edward's low, warm voice in my ear, I shivered as I packed my small overnight bag. There was something about the deep timbre of his voice, the way his mouth formed around the words as he spoke, and the warmth of his tone that made me react in a way I couldn't explain. It had been his voice that broke through my panic that first day on the ladder, and from that moment, it affected me deeply.

Once I showed him the site I was looking at, he asked me to let him handle the arrangements, and I happily agreed. I knew the next two days were going to change our relationship forever. The thought of being alone with him for the next two nights filled me with anticipation. My stomach was a bundle of nerves that threatened to overwhelm me.

It had been a huge thing for me to ask him if he wanted to go away together. He had been beyond patient with me since I had woken up in his bed that day weeks ago. There had been no pressure to sleep together, no snide remarks about dragging my feet like Mike would make when we started dating. Instead, there had been romantic evenings, cozy dinners or lunches when our schedules worked against us, many texts and phone calls, and lots and lots of his drugging kisses.

He loved it when I would drop something off for him, never hesitating to sweep me into his arms and show his delight, no matter who was around. Nothing made me happier than to look up and see him walking in the door of the restaurant; that smile he reserved only for me, lighting up his face when he would see me. Often, his hands were filled with flowers—small, fragrant bouquets I could keep on my desk as I did the books. Sometimes he brought two and I had one on both my desk and the hostess station so "I would think of him more"—something, I assured him, wasn't an issue. Always, his eyes were warm, and once again, his affection was openly displayed. He held my hand, played with my hair, and kissed me every chance he got. It took some getting used to, but the more he showed me how he felt, the more comfortable I was becoming.

He was endlessly patient with my clumsiness, never once making me feel stupid or silly over tripping over my own feet or walking into things. Mike used to enjoy telling me how graceless I was. Edward never said a word, except to ask me to be careful, since I was precious to him. That was exactly how he made me feel all the time: precious. He would stroke whatever limb or piece of skin I had hurt, first with his long fingers and then with his warm mouth. He always noticed them before I could even speak. When we were out, he kept me tucked into his side, safe. I never tripped when I was with him. No harm ever came to me when he was close. And he liked being close as much as possible.

He left no doubt, he wanted as much of my time as I could give him. I wanted his, as well.

And now I was ready to take the next step.

I zipped up the bag as my cellphone chimed with Edward's ringtone. Emmett had programmed it with the Doors, "_Light my Fire_", one day while I was at the fire station and it made me giggle every time I heard it. I was smiling now as I answered to the sound of his cheerful voice. "You ready to go, sweetheart?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Yes."

"I'm outside." He chuckled. "And, as per your instructions, I haven't shaved."

I swallowed; my throat suddenly dry. I loved his scruff, but he had to keep his face clean when on duty. I loved how it felt on his days off and he promised not to shave for our time away.

He sounded as anxious as I was for this time together. "You're early."

"I arranged for early check-in."

"Oh."

His voice dropped. "I want you."

"Edward…"

"Come to me, Bella. I want you beside me, _now_. I want you alone."

My voice was husky when I spoke, grabbing my bag and heading for the door. "On my way."

Edward was waiting right outside my door. He swept me into his arms, his mouth devouring mine with a kiss that left me breathless. There was no doubt he wanted me as much as I wanted him. I could feel his want pressed between us.

Our hands stayed clasped together the whole trip. We stopped for coffee and to pick up some snacks and wine; Edward's arms wrapped around me from behind as I studied the shelves for the right vintage to take with us. His lips ghosted up and down my neck, heightening my anticipation. He kept me close as he paid for the groceries and the wine. We sipped from the same cup of coffee in the car. Edward's gaze kept flickering to my face, his eyes hooded and intense. By the time we arrived at the hotel, I was a quivering mass of need for him.

We were met by a "house man" when we arrived at the gate and were driven in a golf cart to the cabin where we would be staying. No cars were allowed on the grounds, ensuring peace for all the guests. I gasped when we pulled up. There had been different levels of cabins, but obviously Edward has chosen the most extravagant one.

Edward smiled at me over his shoulder, winking as he turned back to Riley. The two of them were deep in discussion. I looked around the "cabin" in awe. A small sitting room held a large comfy couch that sat across from a fireplace. A huge flat screen TV hung over the mantle, and the shelves beside it were filled with movies. The sitting room opened to a well-equipped, tiny kitchenette. With a smile, Riley watched as Edward held out his hand. "Come see the rest."

I followed him down the hall, inhaling in sudden delight. The bedroom was huge, with a domed wood ceiling, the promised king-sized bed, and another fireplace. Patio doors led to a small deck that offered an amazing view of the grounds. "Edward," I murmured. "This is so much more than I expected." He smiled at me as he lifted my hand to kiss it.

Riley walked to another set of doors and opened them with a flourish. "I think you'll find this to your liking as well."

My eyes widened as I walked into the room. It was an indoor oasis. A deep, two-person tub sat in the corner, fed by a small waterfall. Beside it was yet another fireplace, the stone around it ending at the mantle and the rest of the wall made of glass. It overlooked the small ravine and lake; the view was spectacular and made the room completely private. A set of chairs were situated in front of the fireplace, bright pillows and blankets making them warm and welcoming. A small table was set up with a bottle of champagne, a plate of fruit, cheese, and crackers ready for us. A large bouquet of flowers filled the room with their heady scent. Overwhelmed by Edward's efforts, I stood staring and drinking it all in.

Riley said something to Edward, indicating the room. I heard the words corners, cervices and extra sure and Edward nodded, his expression pleased. He pressed something into Riley's hand as he murmured his thanks. Riley smiled and wished us a great day, reminding Edward of his number and assuring him all he had to do was ask and whatever we needed would be brought to us right away. He also reminded him that the keys to our golf cart were on the kitchen counter if we wanted to go up to the main hotel at any point. His footsteps faded down the hallway, and the door shut behind him softly. Edward and I stared at each other across the room.

"This is too much."

He shook his head, his face serious. "Not for you it isn't. Nothing for you is too much."

"I can't believe you did all this for me," I whispered as I trailed my fingers over the soft petals of the flowers. "No one had ever done anything like this, Edward. Ever."

"I wanted this time to be special."

I tilted my head with a smile. "It will be. It's you."

His expression transformed, brightened as he smiled, his eyes liquid green. "Us," he murmured.

I nodded. "Us."

We both moved, almost circling each other around the room. "What were you discussing with Riley so intently?"

"Ah, I had asked for a special service to be done. I wanted to make sure it had been completed."

"Oh?"

His hands flexed, fingers curling as he shrugged. The tips of his ears turned a dull red.

"The flowers?"

"No."

"The wine and food?"

"No?"

My curiosity grew. "What?"

"I made you a promise, and I meant to keep it."

"What promise?"

His ears turned an even darker pink. "The same reason I booked the cabin with an indoor tub." He straightened his shoulders. "I asked them to be extra thorough when they got the cabin ready. I needed to make sure there wasn't a cobweb or a spider to be found."

I gaped at him. The words I had overheard made perfect sense now. _Corners…crevices…extra-sure_. I hadn't even been thinking of spiders. But Edward had. He wanted to protect me from my biggest fear and make sure I was comfortable. An indoor tub meant less chance of bugs when we were in it as well. My entire body filled with warmth at his caring gesture, perhaps even more poignant than the flowers and wine.

"I needed to be sure you felt safe, sweetheart."

Safe.

I always felt safe with Edward. He needed to know that. I needed to show him that.

I didn't think.

I only lunged.

* * *

**Can you blame her for lunging? Scruffy, sexy fireward, making sure she felt safe...and wanted. Sigh. **

**Thanks to JenRar for stepping in and betaing the story for me. You rock my friend. Any mistakes are mine, cause I love to tweak. Thank you for reading.**

**Update mid-week. **


	6. Chapter 6

_**~Edward~**_

One minute, Bella was staring at me, her dark eyes filled with surprised disbelief at the efforts I had made to ensure she felt safe, and then next minute she lunged across the room, plowing into me so hard, that I stumbled back into the wall, hitting it with a dull thud.

Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling my willing mouth down to hers as I lifted her off her feet and spun us so she was pressed against the wood, trapped between my body and the smooth cedar. I groaned as our tongues met, sliding and twisting. Bella's hands fisted in my shirt, pulling it away from my waistband; her fingers pressed into my back. My hips thrust forward, grinding my cock into her warmth, as the desire I'd been feeling for her exploded.

Every plan I had for a long, slow afternoon of relaxing and easing into the next step of our relationship went out the window as she arched against me, tugging on my shirt so hard that I could feel the material straining against my back and the seams beginning to give away.

I tore my mouth from hers, gasping for air. I wanted her naked and under me. I wanted to feel the warmth of her bare flesh pressing into mine. Feel the heat of her pussy surrounding my cock. I wanted to watch her writhe and beg for me as I filled her, took her…made her mine.

And I wanted it all—_now_.

In a blur, her hands moved and yanked on my shirt front, the buttons hitting the floor; tiny discs bounced and rolled as they scattered. The feel of her hands stroking my chest, teasing my nipples, made me curse, and with a groan, I pivoted and carried her to the inviting bed. I sat her on the edge of the mattress, tearing her t-shirt over her head. We stared at each other, both of us panting.

"Bella," I murmured, my voice low. "Take your hair down for me."

With shaky fingers she loosened the clip, letting her hair fall past her shoulders.

"I love your hair. It's like dark, molten chocolate," I crooned, burying my fingers into her curls. "I like to feel it in my hands—it's like a satin waterfall."

She shivered. Gently, I nudged the thick tresses over her shoulder, trailing my finger across her collarbone and tracing the lacy edge of her bra. "Your skin is like ivory—warm, smooth—so fucking sexy. I want to touch it, taste it—everywhere." Slowly, I moved my hand, repeating the action, then slipped my finger just inside the lacy cup, her warm skin feeling like silk to my rougher, calloused hand. Her dark, wild eyes watched me, her chest heaving, as I leaned over her. With one flick of my wrist, I popped open the clasp and let her breasts spill into my waiting hands. She moaned as I bent my head, capturing one stiff nipple in my mouth, nuzzling and licking the peak as I played with the other one. My body and mouth followed her as she fell back on the mattress. Bracing myself on my hands, I gazed down at her. "You're so beautiful, sweetheart."

Shrugging off my torn shirt, I smirked as I tugged on my belt. "Maybe I'd better take these off. God knows what damage you'll inflict on them. I only brought one other pair."

Her mouth curved into a wicked smile. "Don't worry, you won't be needing pants."

I arched my eyebrow at her. "Is that so?"

"We aren't leaving this room."

"I don't get to eat?" I winked at her. "I'm going to need to keep up my strength."

"Room service, remember?"

I hovered over her, slipping my hands under her waistband and tugging.

"That's perfect—for later."

"Later?" she panted.

I sank to my knees in front of her. "There's something else I want to eat now."

_***()***_

Bella whimpered, her hips bucking as I teased her with my tongue. Higher and higher I went, stroking and licking, my teeth nibbling on her fragrant skin. I ghosted my fingers over her warm, wet center; knowing that was where she wanted my tongue and mouth. She curved up, crying out, as I slipped a finger into her wetness, my thumb grazing over her clit. Slowly, I slid in and out, adding a second finger when her moans became louder. Standing up, I hovered over her, lifting her face to mine as my tongue dipped back inside her sweet mouth, imitating the actions of my fingers. "So soft, Bella…you're _so _soft."

Her hand buried into my hair as she groaned my name.

"And _wet_, baby—so hot and wet." I pressed my fingers deeper, stretching her a little more. "Do I make you this wet? Is this for me?"

"Yes…_yes_…" She bucked against my hand. "_Please_, Edward," she panted.

I flicked my tongue over her swollen lips, tracing their fullness. "You want me, sweetheart? You want my mouth?"

"_Oh God_…yes!"

I fell back to my knees and gave her what we both wanted.

She was perfect. Hot, musky and wet in my mouth. I licked and sucked, nibbled and teased as Bella undulated under my lips. I stroked her heat, flicking her clit as she whimpered and called my name. I loved hearing it in her breathy, needy voice. I teased her, drawing out her pleasure, until she was crying out, begging me to take her.

I stood quickly, spreading her wide, and with one fast thrust, buried myself in her warmth, shouting out at the feeling of being joined with her so completely. Wrapping my hands around her knees, I lifted her hips off the mattress, thrusting hard and fast, needing to be inside her as deep as I could get. Bella's back arched, exposing her neck as her hands clutched the blanket. She matched my rhythm, her gasps and pants urging me on. "More, Edward…faster… Take me…please…"

I hissed and growled, surging into her. Her warmth surrounded me, fisting my cock tightly. Looking down, I almost lost it as I watched myself pushing and withdrawing, my aching cock glistening with her desire. Shudders ran down my spine, my muscles tightening with need.

"Bella…I…_fuck_…want…_need_…"

"Tell me," she gasped.

I needed more. I needed closer. I wanted to feel every single inch of her against me as I came. I wanted to taste her release in my mouth. I needed to feel the flux and pull of her body as she came around me, her legs pulling me in; her pussy spasming around my cock, milking me for everything I had.

I pulled out, growling, as my cock protested the loss of her warmth. "Move back. _Now_."

She scrambled back and I followed, surging forward and inside her again in the blink of an eye, both of us groaning as I thrust powerfully. I lifted her head, crashing my mouth to hers as I pressed her deep into the downy covers, still driving into her hard. Bella's hands gripped and pulled at my hair as she screamed, the sound thick in my mouth as my own orgasm raced through me. White hot, electric shocks pulsated through my spine, pooling in the pit of my stomach. I came wildly, tearing my mouth from hers as I roared, her name echoing off the high ceiling, then biting down on the skin of her neck.

Then I collapsed into her arms. Panting. Gasping. I was unable to form a coherent sentence, unsure if I even knew what my name was at that moment.

Her body was a protective shield, her hands gentle as they ran over my back in long, soothing passes. Her legs remained wrapped around my hips. She nuzzled my damp hair, murmuring softly. I hummed in total satisfaction.

Realizing I had to be crushing her, I rolled, tucking her into my chest…cradling _her_ this time. She tilted her head up, her eyes wide and filled with emotion. "Hi," she whispered.

I brushed a curl away from her forehead, kissing her soft skin. "Hey," I murmured.

Her cheeks were flushed, her lips pink and swollen from my mouth. I had wreaked havoc with her hair; the curls were mussed and tangled from my hands. I tried to smooth it down, but it was a lost cause. "I love your hair," I murmured.

"Really?"

I nuzzled into the silky tresses. "You know how my scruff does it for you? Well, your hair is _my_ weakness. I love seeing it down around your face—being able to feel it wrapped around my hands."

"I'll remember that."

I traced the small purple mark on her neck from my teeth.

She arched one sexy eyebrow at me. "Did you…bite me?"

"Um, yeah, I did. You said I could the other day..." I grinned, unsure of her reaction."Your neck was really…tasty."

"My boyfriend turns into a vampire during sex," she mused. "That's rather…hot."

"I am hot," I sniffed haughtily. "All firemen are."

She giggled; the sound light and sweet in the room and I pulled her closer.

"You were amazing, sweetheart." I kissed her softly, grazing my lips over hers. "We were amazing."

"Yeah, we were."

"I knew we would be."

She smiled, and her nose wrinkled, making her look adorable. "It's all in the seduction."

"You're good."

"I know."

"Maybe you want to try your powers elsewhere?"

Her head turned and she gazed at the large room behind us. "I bet that tub would work."

I ran my tongue down her neck, swirling it over the mark I'd left behind. "I bet you're right. There's wine, too."

"Perfect."

_***()***_

The sun was setting over the water as I pulled Bella back into my arms, stretching my legs out beside hers. I settled back into the cushions and picked up my wine, savoring the rich flavor of the Merlot Bella had chosen. The fire was roaring in front of us, the flames dancing as the logs snapped, the temperature pleasant in the coolness of the evening. But the heat was nothing compared to the warmth of the woman resting in my embrace. I ducked my head, nuzzling her damp hair. "All right, sweetheart?"

She looked up, her eyes sleepy and sated; her smile rich and full. "Perfect."

I traced her mouth with my finger, grinning as her tongue peeked out, teasing the end of it. "Yes, you are."

She sighed as her head rested against my chest.

"What are you thinking about?" I murmured quietly.

"I was wondering if I could get a tub like that in my apartment."

I glanced over at the corner. All around the edges the ceramic tiles were wet; even the window had splash marks on it. The damp towels were hanging over the railing of the deck outside to dry.

_After we moved from the bed to the very deep tub, things had gotten passionate pretty fast. The vision of a wet, naked Bella was far too tempting to even try to ignore. When she leaned over the edge of the tub to reach the wine bottle, the sight of her plump, rounded ass was too much to resist. With a hiss, I lunged forward, a crest of water flowing over the edge as I pinned her chest to the floor; my hands stroked and kneaded her cheeks. "This ass," I growled in her ear, biting down on the lobe. "This ass beckoned to me when you were perched on the ladder the first time I set eyes on you." Swirling my tongue on her neck, I pulled her up tight against my raging hard on. "I thought it was remarkable then…but now? Fuck, baby, it's _spectacular_. Sexy." I put my lips against her ear. "Mine." _

_Leaning down, I drew the soft flesh of one cheek between my lips, sucking and biting as I slipped my hands underneath her, cupping her heavy breasts. She mewled as I pulled and pinched at her nipples, gasping as my teeth bit harder and another mark bloomed on her flesh. When I had become so obsessed with marking her, I had no idea. She brought out a possessive side of me I'd never experienced with another person. I liked seeing the little stain my teeth left behind. I didn't do it hard enough to hurt her—I would never hurt Bella—but my teeth left an impression, and she seemed to like it._

"_Open up for me," I commanded lowly. "Show me you want me again."_

_She curled her hands into tight fists as she parted her legs, her ass lifted high in the air. With a groan, I pressed between her thighs, sinking deep within her. Bella lifted her torso, bracing her arms on the edge of the tub. I pressed my chest against her back, slipping my hand down and stroking her bundle of nerves as I pounded into her. The water in the tub rose and splashed, the towels on the ledge were pushed aside, knocking the bottle of wine over. It rolled away, hitting the wall, the wine luckily safe in the corked glass. Several candles were extinguished as water hit them, the lax smoke curling into the air from the damp wicks. Bella's soft whimpers became gasps, then turned into moans, her body tightening and shaking. I buried my face into her neck, groaning as she reached up and tugged on my hair. I kissed and nuzzled the damp skin, cursing as my cock swelled and I spilled deep inside her, giving her all I had, shouting her name until my body and voice calmed and stilled. _

_Slowly, carefully, I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her back and sitting us both into the warm water. We were silent. The only sounds in the room were the quiet flow of the water into the tub from the waterfall and Bella's soft sigh as she relaxed into me. I cupped the warm water, pouring it over her shoulders, caressing her skin with gentle strokes of my fingers. _

"_You're very…passionate."_

_I dropped my face to her neck, kissing the soft skin. "I am with you."_

"_You weren't before…ah, before me?"_

_I didn't really want to discuss past lovers with her right now, but I needed her to know she was different. As far as I was concerned, she was it for me._

"_No woman has ever affected me this way, sweetheart," I stated firmly. "Ever." I pressed another kiss to her shoulder. "No one ever will again."_

_She turned and gazed up at me. I met her wide-eyed stare steadily. A smile of understanding curled the edges of her sweet lips, widening as I smiled back, happy to know she understood what I was saying. _

_She settled back between my legs. "Me, either," she whispered. _

Remembering our passion, I smiled and kissed her head. "I don't think the tub would work in your apartment, Bella."

"Shame."

"How about I promise to bring you back here as often as we can?"

Her toes wiggled in delight and she shifted against me, her ass rubbing against my cock. "I'd like that."

"Bella, unless you want a repeat performance of the tub or the bed, you need to stop moving so much," I warned her. "You have to be sore, sweetheart."

"Oh…" She giggled. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I'm happy to oblige, but maybe we should wait until we've at least had dinner. Riley said it would be here in about thirty minutes." I tightened my arm around her waist. "Let me feed you so you have enough energy…to keep up."

She exhaled; a long deep rush of air floated over my skin. "Okay," she whispered.

I took a deep sip of wine and relaxed, enjoying the quiet around us and the feeling of Bella in my arms. It took a minute before I realized not only had she stopped moving, but she was frozen in place. Setting down my wine, I leaned forward, pushing her thick hair out of the way so I could see her face. "Bella?"

There was no response. Her eyes were fixed on the glass ahead of us, and I narrowed my eyes, trying to see what she was looking at.

A spider. One lone spider, barely discernable in the dying light was sitting on the glass, not moving. One lone spider, scaring the shit out of my girl.

I pulled her back against me, holding her tight.

"It's outside, Bella. It can't get near you. I wouldn't _let_ it get near you," I soothed in her ear. "I have you."

She nodded, but didn't speak.

The spider moved, crawling across the glass, pausing occasionally before moving again. I knew Bella's eyes were tracking the movements; she stiffened every time it moved. "He's probably on his way home," I murmured. "Home to his little web, where his family waits for him. He isn't interested in you or me. He's just using the glass as a shortcut home."

Her voice was shaky. "Yeah."

"Look, he's gone."

"He can't get in?"

I gathered her up, turning her so she was nestled into my chest. "No."

She tilted her head back, and I was shocked at how pale she had become. Her phobia was terrible. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"With you, I am. You kept me calm." A ghost of a smile flickered. "Your little web theory helped."

"Good."

Lifting my glass, I pressed it to her lips, smiling as she took a small sip. "Thank you."

"I told you I'd check every room and would make sure you're safe."

"I hope you don't get tired of doing that."

I pulled her closer, lifting her chin so I could kiss her.

"Never."

"I'm a lot of work."

"No, you're not. You're perfect. All the little things that make up you, make you perfect for me. I wish you didn't trip or hurt yourself so much because I hate seeing that happen, but I like knowing I'm there to catch you, or at least kiss it better."

"I like it, too."

"Good."

Smiling, I kissed her again as a discreet knock sounded. "Riley is here with dinner."

"Good. I'm starving."

I stood up, taking her with me and leering at her with an exaggerated wink. "Eat up, then, sweetheart. You're gonna need it."

Her cheeks darkened, and tucked into my side, she giggled all the way to the door.

The fact that I had my hand on her ass might have had something to do with it.

Maybe.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Thank you Jenny for betaing. Still a little loopy from the sedation I had yesterday, so all mistakes are mine due to my love of tweaking. **

**Update on the weekend. **


	7. Chapter 7

_**~Bella~**_

I leaned over the railing, breathing in the scent of the rain-soaked forest around the cabin. A huge storm had rolled in last night, and the rain had only stopped a short time ago. It had been the perfect excuse to stay in the cabin all day—not that we'd left it very much. We'd taken one short walk along the lake, and had gone up to the main hotel for dinner the second night. The entrees had been wonderful, dessert equally so. I was surprised when Edward asked for his dessert to go and we brought it back to the cottage, but I had assumed he was too full to eat it right then. But once we arrived back to the cottage, I knew by the wicked gleam in his eye he was up to no good. Sure enough, he insisted on eating the sweet concoction off me, saying it tasted better when he licked the chocolate mousse right from my bare skin. The cold of the mousse and the heat of his tongue proved to be a heady combination, and I had cried out his name loudly as I came.

I regretted eating mine at the table, and when I said so, he was quick to offer me the other half of his. I had to agree; it tasted better on him, and judging from his low groans as I swirled my tongue around the rich concoction on his thick length, we _both_ enjoyed his dessert. Afterward, the sticky mess was washed away in the shower, which only resulted in Edward taking me on the counter in the bathroom, the steam of the shower still hanging in the air around us. _His_ only regret he said, was not getting an extra dessert for later.

Other than those two short excursions, we had stayed in the cabin enjoying each other. Edward arranged a later checkout time today, so we had until late afternoon to laze around, enjoy the tub and fireplace…and the big comfy bed one last time.

I never wanted to leave.

I loved being with Edward. It was the longest time we'd spent together since we met. We talked and laughed. Played cards, watched movies, and danced under the stars on the deck. I loved being in his arms as he swayed to the music, humming in my ear, holding me so close, I knew I wouldn't stumble. We drank wine and fed each other tidbits we ordered from the kitchen. Soaked in the deep tub as we listened to soft music.

Made love.

Often.

No one had ever touched me the way Edward did. Hard, passionate, and commanding at times. Soft, sweet, and so loving at others. The way he caressed me, looked at me, made me feel as if l was the most important person in the world to him. His low voice, roaring my name or whispering it with almost reverence as he came inside me, was like music to my ears.

Waking up with him the first morning, his arms holding me against his chest, had felt so right…so natural. His lips moving on my neck, his voice whispering how much he wanted me, and the way he had trailed his large hands over my skin in long, sweeping touches, had made me shudder with want. Lifting my leg, he'd pressed in gently from behind, rocking against me in short, shallow thrusts. There'd been nothing fast or hurried, no frenzied coupling like the night before. It had been us; warm and cocooned under the blankets in the dim light of dawn, as Edward had loved me, using his body to show me what he wasn't ready to say yet with his words. My orgasm had been like the storm that came later: slow gathering and explosive when it reached its pinnacle. My name had fallen from his lips like a prayer as he came, holding me tightly, his head buried in my shoulder.

I blinked at the moisture in my eyes, unsure how I was going to go back to waking up alone and only seeing him for short time spans again. I startled as he appeared behind me, pulling me against his chest.

"It's so beautiful here," he murmured.

I nodded, leaning back into him.

"Almost as beautiful as you."

I managed to choke out a small giggle, not wanting him to know I was crying. It had been a magical few days; I didn't want to end it with sadness.

"Riley will be here in about ten minutes, and he'll drive us to the gate. I checked us out while you were in the shower."

"Okay."

His arms tightened, his head dropping to my shoulder. "Are you okay, sweetheart? You're awfully quiet."

A tear dropped onto his arm. Promptly, I was spun around to face him. His hands cupped my cheeks, wiping away the tears. "Bella? Baby, what's wrong?" He looked around wildly. "Is something scaring you? Did you see a spider?"

I laughed-sobbed at his instant protectiveness. "No. I…I just don't want to leave. The thought of not seeing you much—"

His hands held my face harder. "Hey."

I looked up into his warm gaze. "Not happening, sweetheart. Do you think I could really stand for that to happen? After the past few days?"

He wrapped me in his arms, nuzzling the top of my head. "I can't go back to dinners and a few hours together now, Bella."

"What can we do?"

He drew back and reached into his pocket. Pressing an object into my hand, he smiled at me. "We make more time."

I opened my palm and held up a silver key, looking at him curiously.

"It's a key to my place. Our dates don't have to end at the door anymore. We don't have to be restricted to making plans."

I stared at him, panicked.

He snickered and kissed the end of my nose affectionately. "I'm not asking you to move in with me—yet." He folded my fingers over the key. "Use it. Anytime. Stay the night with me. Go to work the next day—my place is closer to the restaurant than yours is. Be there when I get home after a shift." Lifting my hand, he grazed the knuckles with his lips, then pressed a warm kiss to the inside of my wrist. "Whatever time you want to give me, I want."

My heart beat faster in my chest. He wanted me. After all these hours together, he felt the way I did. He wanted more time with me. "What if I wanted to sleep there when you're on night shift?"

His eyes darkened as he leaned closer. "Nothing would make me happier than to come home and find you in my bed waiting for me."

"Will you let me give you a key to my place?"

He ducked down with a hard, fast kiss. "Yes."

"Will you use it too?"

"So much, you'll want rid of me."

I shook my head. "That isn't possible."

"I love hearing you say that."

A knock sounded, and after another warm kiss, Edward smiled at me. "Time to head back to reality."

I held up my key. "Reality just got a whole lot better."

His smile was huge. "Yeah, it did." Then he paused. "Bella…"

"Yeah?"

"One day, we'll both have the same key. When we're ready. Okay?"

I sucked in a deep breath. "Okay."

"And the next time we have time off together, I want to take you to meet my parents. Are you okay with that?"

"What if they don't like me?"

"They will. I have no doubt. I talk about you so much when I call home that they're anxious to meet you. I promised them I would bring you soon."

I nodded. "Okay."

***()***

~_**Edward~**_

I shut my locker door, my head falling forward. It had been a long, hard day. Some punkhead arsonist had been going around setting fires to garages in his neighborhood, so we'd been busy, and I had a huge headache. Luckily, they caught the kid and no one had been injured, but it made for an unending, stressful day. To top it off, we had some visiting firemen from out of town who had arrived while we were out on the last call. One of them was from my old firehouse, and although Laurent and I had never been close, I'd agreed to stay and have dinner with them when Carlisle had told us of their upcoming visit. Bella was working, and I always enjoyed talking to other people in my profession.

Emmett had arranged for food from Rose's restaurant, and it would arrive soon. I would eat, have a couple of beers, and chill for a while before Bella came to pick me up so we could go home. All I wanted was to take her back to my place and get her naked and in my bed. Sex wasn't even the agenda; just having her close and wrapped around me was what I wanted. I knew she'd run her fingers through my hair and massage the tight muscles in my neck to soothe me. No one could soothe me the way she could. No one made me feel the way she did. I'd suspected I'd fall for her fast, but had to admit I was already past fallen. She had become the center of my world; everything I did, every decision I made, now revolved around the tiny brunette I'd carried off the ladder weeks ago. We'd grown closer in the weeks since our little trip, and we both hated being apart. I loved spending my free time with her and missed her when she wasn't close.

A heavy hand settled on my shoulder, and I glanced up at Emmett. "Hey, is the food here?"

"It's coming."

I stood up. "Good." I yanked a clean shirt over my head, frowning at Em's serious expression. "What?"

"One of the visiting guys brought his girlfriend."

That wasn't an unusual occurrence. "Okay?" I asked as I pulled on my sneakers, wondering if I had time to call Bella before I went downstairs.

"She's a paramedic." He drew in a deep breath. "Carlisle said he never met her, so he isn't sure…but, Edward, I think it might be your ex."

I gaped at him. "Irina?"

He nodded. "I don't know a lot of your history, but it's an unusual name, and I think I heard her say she was from the twenty-seventh. That was your house, right?"

I sat down heavily. Irina was here with her poison. With her boyfriend. In my new house.

"What's his name?"

"James Calder. He's from Twenty-one."

I groaned. I knew James, and I didn't like him. He was a cold-hearted bastard, known for his stand-offish tendencies. Perfect for Irina.

"Carlisle said to tell you if you want out, it's fine. He understands, so there isn't a problem. You can slip out the back. If she asks, we'll say you had something come up."

I looked up at my friend, who was watching me with concerned eyes.

I stood up. "No. This is my house. My crew. I'm not slinking away because she's here. She's isn't my problem anymore."

Emmett grinned. "Good. We got your back." He winked at me. "And I got a surprise for you."

"What?"

"You'll see. It's a good one, though."

He turned and left. I took a deep breath for courage, blowing it out slowly. It would be fine. This _was _my house, and I had grown close to all the guys. They were a great crew; Carlisle was an amazing leader, and I knew Emmett meant it: they had my back. I wasn't going to let her breeze in and make me leave; she had chased me away once and it wasn't happening again. I wasn't the outsider here; she was.

I picked up my phone, needing to hear Bella's voice, disappointed when it went to voicemail. I hung up after leaving a quick message saying I couldn't wait to see her tonight and then glanced at my watch. Two hours. I only had to put up with Irina for two hours, and given there were six other people plus our crew, I shouldn't have to deal with her much at all. Bella would be here by nine, and I would be waiting outside for her. I didn't want to subject her to any unpleasantness.

I straightened my shoulders and hit the stairs.

I could do this.

_***()***_

Irina looked the same: tall and well groomed, confidence oozing from her as she gazed dispassionately at me across the room. I nodded at her and James, turning away to shake Laurent's hand as I inquired about some of the other people at my old station. Grabbing a beer, I made the rounds, and finally, having no more excuses, I found myself in front of James and Irina. Close up, I saw that there were indeed changes. Her hair wasn't pulled back as I thought it was, but cut short, hugging her scalp; her face was hard, her expression even colder than I remembered. Between James's and her icy manner, I was pretty sure water could freeze. Knowing all eyes were on me, I shook his hand politely and tilted my head toward her. "Irina. You're looking well."

A nasty smirk curled her mouth. "I am well." She ran her hand up James's arm, with a low laugh. "Very well."

I swallowed back the bile that threatened to choke me. She was still trying to get under my skin. My hand curled around the phone in my pocket, thinking of the text message Bella had sent only moments ago.

_**Sorry I missed your call. But hearing your voice makes me smile. See you soon. ~B xx**_

I thought of the sweetness of Bella's smile. Her sexy smirk when she would tease me. Her warm gaze every time she looked at me.

Bella. She was all that mattered.

What Irina did, or didn't do, was no longer of any significance. I swallowed as a little of my tension eased and I managed a smile. "Glad to hear that."

Her smirk disappeared, leaving her face void of expression. Movement caught my eye as I looked past her, and the most welcome sight appeared.

Bella.

Seth was with her, their arms filled with trays. Without another glance at Irina, I moved past her and hurried over to my girl, who was smiling at me. Her smile—the one she had only for me. I pulled the heavy tray from her hands and bent down, capturing her lips with mine. Her hand curled around the back of my neck, holding me close as I kissed her. It was a kiss of hello, of thank you and utter relief. My entire body relaxed the minute she was close. I buried my head in her neck. "Sweetheart."

"I know," she whispered, her breath hot on my ear.

I drew back, but stayed close enough she could hear me. "Are you my surprise?"

"Yes."

I looked over at Emmett, who grinned as he raised his beer. "Best one—ever," I assured her, dropping a kiss on her head. "Are you staying?"

"Yes. I'm on rescue detail tonight."

"Perfect." I pressed another kiss on her inviting mouth. There was no one else I'd rather be rescued by than her.

"Let's get you a drink." I rolled my eyes. "You might need it."

She laughed lowly. "Bring it on."

***()***

Dinner was loud and boisterous with lots of laughter and kidding. Stories were told, experiences shared, as we sat, eating the great meal Rose had sent over. Even the fact that Irina was a few seats away across the table no longer mattered, because Bella was beside me. A few times, I looked up to see Irina scowling in our direction, but I ignored her.

I stabbed another piece of chicken off the closest platter. "Did you make this?" I asked my girl, who nodded as I took a huge bite, savoring the taste. I loved her cooking, and I knew she helped Seth at times. I recognized the flavor as one of her dishes she made at home.

"I did. And I made the cookies for dessert."

The whole crew at the table let out a loud whoop. They all loved Bella's cookies.

Irina spoke up. "Is that what you do, um, _Betty, _was it? You work in a _kitchen_?"

I stiffened beside Bella, but before I could say anything, she shook her head, ignoring Irina's obvious jab. "No. I love to cook, and the chef at the restaurant lets me help out for fun, _Arlene_." She smiled. "Edward loves my cooking, so I thought I'd make him one of his favorites."

"Irina."

"Oh, sorry." Bella smirked. "It's an unusual name. I don't think I've ever heard it before."

"I'm sure Edward has mentioned me."

Bella's eyebrows rose, and she pursed her lips. "No. No, I don't think so."

"Really," Irina scoffed. "We dated. Surely he told you that."

Bella leaned back, looking thoughtful. "Hmm." She turned her head and leaned up toward me. I bent down so I could hear what she was saying as she spoke into my ear. "Nod your head, Edward. Just look at me and nod your head."

I sat up and did what she asked, nodding silently. I tried not to laugh when Bella raised her eyebrows again and looked at me as if she was surprised.

She glanced over at Irina and then down at the table with a small grin. "Oh, sorry. I didn't realize. He _did_ mention you." She shrugged. "That wasn't the _name_ he used, though." Then calmly, she picked up her fork and started eating again. I had to duck my head and shove another piece of chicken in my mouth to stop laughing.

Irina had just been put in her place.

_***()***_

"How did you meet?"

I groaned quietly. No matter what we did, Irina kept pushing, asking questions—even James was starting to look angry. She'd managed to keep her mouth shut for about ten minutes this time before she piped up.

Bella smiled as she looked my way. "Edward helped me out of a difficult situation." She laid her hand on my cheek. "_My_ hero," she said softly.

Irina's eyes narrowed, and I could feel her gearing up. "He loves doing that. Such a good fireman he is," she said sarcastically. "Always ready to save the day."

Bella threw her hands up, a huge grin on her face. "I know, _right_! How awesome to have someone care about you so much, they want to look after you! There are so few men like Edward around anymore; I don't know how I got so lucky! He's got it all, am I right? Handsome, sexy, caring…_God_! What girl in her right mind _wouldn't_ love that? And his French toast. I love waking up to that." She giggled and pressed a warm kiss to my cheek. "Especially when you serve it to me in bed," she murmured to me, but loud enough that Irina heard.

A strange noise came from Irina's throat. I glanced across the table. She looked furious, her hands clenched, two high spots of color on her cheeks. It was strange. I used to think it was odd the way color collected on those two spots. But, when Bella blushed, I found it adorable. Sexy, even.

Speaking of sexy, I could feel Bella's hand stroking my thigh. I decided I'd had enough of Irina's company for now, and I stood, wrapping my hand around Bella's. "I need a little air. Excuse us."

I pulled Bella along, ignoring Emmett's thumbs up. We went out the kitchen door, into the cool night air. I had Bella in my arms and pressed against the wall in an instant. My lips were hard on hers as I kissed her, all the emotions of the night hitting me. My tension drained away, leaving only relief at having her close. I felt amusement, pride, and gratitude at how she handled the entire situation, not once stooping to Irina's level of being nasty, but instead turning all her remarks into praise. Praise for me. I groaned into her mouth, our tongues twisting and stroking, the kiss becoming deeper and more heated. I slipped my hands under her shirt, pressing them into the warmth of her skin, grinding my hardening cock into her soft warmth. She tugged on my hair as I drew back, dropping my head to her neck.

"You amaze me," I whispered against her throat. "You fucking amaze me."

"She's awful."

"You were brilliant, sweetheart. I don't know what she's playing at, but you took her down."

She shook her head at me. "Don't you get it, Edward?"

"No."

"She was trying to prove a point, stake her claim. She came before me."

I shook my head, bewildered. "She has no claim. She threw me away. Why would she care?"

"Because that's the kind of person she is. She's moved on, but she doesn't want you to do the same thing. She wants to think you still want her. She came here to remind you of what you left behind."

I laughed in disbelief. "Well then, I hope she likes disappointment. I've moved so far past her, it's a different area code all together. How I felt about her doesn't even hold a candle to you. I want nothing to do with her. Ever. The only person I want is you."

Bella leaned up, her mouth _right there_, so close, our breath was shared, but not touching. "Have me, then."

A wicked grin spread across my face, my cock twitching at her words. "Here? Against a rough brick wall?"

Her shirt was pulled over her head. "Here. Now." Her chest heaved. "I want you."

"Bella…"

"_Fast."_

I stopped asking, and I took her.

Hard and fast, exactly how she wanted me. I shoved both our shirts behind her, protecting her skin from the rough brick. I thrust into her powerfully, my chest melded against hers. My mouth covered hers to muffle her groans and cries. She gripped my shoulders, her nails sinking into my skin, causing a ripple of pained pleasure to run down my spine. Her legs were wrapped around my hips, her heels digging into my ass as I fucked her. There was no other word for it. It was a needed release for both of us, and as I came, spilling into her deeply, she shook and shuddered around me, her muscles gripping me, squeezing everything I had to give her.

Until we were both spent.

Slowly, her legs slipped from me, and I lowered her to the ground, making sure she was steady, before I pulled away. I helped her smooth her skirt down, and she grinned as she tucked me away, fastening my belt back up. I tried to calm her hair, shrugging when my efforts failed. She slipped a hairband from her wrist and tied it up, then tugged her shirt back on.

We slipped inside, stopping at the washroom for more clean up, and then, as nonchalantly as possible, went to join the group inside. We grabbed some coffee and I took a handful of Bella's cookies.

We sat down, and Irina's eyebrows rose as she looked at us, her face like thunder. I glanced over at Bella and lowered my lips to her ear.

"Um, Bella? Your shirt is on inside out, sweetheart. You might want to go and fix it."

She turned to me with a grin. "No need. I know it is."

"You know that?"

She kissed my cheek. "Now I've staked _my _claim. Bitch can back off."

I wrapped my arm around her, adoring her even more in that instant.

The look on Irina's face was priceless.

My laughter couldn't be stopped.

* * *

**I sort of loved Bella in this chapter. I think she make her point. **

**Thank you for reading. Many thanks to JenRar for betaing for me. I tweaked, so mistakes are mine. **


	8. Chapter 8

**~Edward~**

"Edward, you can take off." Sam grinned at me. "You're being sprung."

Glancing at my watch, I frowned. "I have over two hours left on my shift."

Clapping me on the shoulder, he shook his head. "Twice last week, you let me leave early 'cause my kids were sick. I'm just returning the favor. Go see your girl."

Emmett leaned back in his chair. "I'm not far behind you—Emery is coming in early too. Rosy told me it's quiet, so go and have dinner at the restaurant. By the time you're finished, I'll get there and you can leave with Bella. I'll help close up."

"Bella wanted Rose to go home. She says she's working too much."

He laughed. "She won't. She knows the baby will be here soon, and she needs to make sure everything is ready. Take advantage of it now, because Bella is gonna have her hands full once Junior makes his appearance."

Grabbing my coat, I decided not to argue. I knew Bella would be working even more to help Rose once the baby arrived. Another friend of Rose's would be coming in to help as well, but she trusted Bella the most, so we needed to make the most of the extra time now.

This weekend we were going up to see my parents. I knew Bella was nervous about meeting them, although she had spoken with my mother often on the phone. I knew they would love her. They had only met Irina twice and had never really warmed to her, but I knew it would be different with Bella. _I _was different because of Bella. She allowed me to be me, accepting my affection and caring openly and returning it.

Since the Irina incident, we had spent as much time together as possible and were closer than ever. Irina and James had departed not long after Bella and I came inside. She hadn't said another word to us, and I had a feeling it was the last I had seen of her. For that, I was grateful. It was even worth the teasing from the crew that I had to put up with for days. Bella had been amazing with how she handled the situation, showing a strength and grace I wasn't sure she even knew she possessed. Her actions showed the depth of her feelings for me, leaving me no doubt that she was the girl for me.

I loved come home to find Bella slumbering in my bed some mornings. Crawling in beside her and pulling her against me was the best way to fall asleep now, and I wished it happened more often. I liked surprising her by having dinner waiting when she would get home after a long day and then spending the evening with her.

No amount of time with her was enough. I was grateful for the extra couple of hours tonight and was hoping she would come home with me after she was done. Checking the clock, I decided I could make it to my favorite florist and get Bella a new bouquet. She loved the small ones Angela made up for her, saying they were perfect on her desk. I was a regular customer at Angela's Petals, and usually she had ones waiting for me since I came in so often.

Twenty minutes later, I walked into the restaurant, a small nosegay of flowers clutched in my hand.

It was quiet, being mid-week, but Rose looked upset, her phone in hand. Her expression turned to relief when she saw me. "Edward, I'm glad you're here. I was about to call you."

I hurried over. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Bella?"

"I'm fine. Bella is okay, but upset."

"Where is she?"

"In my office."

"What happened?"

"Mike showed up."

I groaned_. _What the hell? It was like a fucking soap opera. _The Days of our Exes_.

First Irina shows up with her nastiness, and now Mike? What the fuck did he want?

"What did he do?"

"He was rather drunk, loud…and rather…handsy."

Rage tore through me, and my hands tightened into fists so hard, I felt the stalks of the flowers being crushed. "He touched her?"

"He tried…I think as close as he got was grabbing her arm. He said some terrible things to her, Edward. Seth pulled him away."

"Where is he?"

"In the men's room. He stumbled down the hall after I threatened to call the police."

"You should have."

"I was about to when you walked in. I had to make sure Bella was okay first. Seth checked and said he was still in there a minute ago. He's in the hall waiting to escort him out."

Seth was the chef who adored Bella. He was one of the good guys, and we got along well. He told me once he thought Mike was an asshole and had been glad when Bella had broken up with him.

I laid the flowers on the counter beside her.

"Allow me the pleasure of escorting him out."

She smirked. "I'd prefer no blood in the restaurant, Edward."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Edward—"

"Call Emmett, tell him I need backup. You can keep the police out of this." I cracked my knuckles. "It's personal."

"What are you going to do?"

"Teach him a lesson in manners."

I started to walk away and turned back. "Should I go to Bella first?"

She shook her head. "I'll make sure she's okay until you're, ah, finished."

"It won't take long. Call Emmett."

I walked down the hall, passing Seth. He grinned when he saw me and I paused to shake his hand. "Thanks for what you did."

"Anytime." He shot me wink. "I'll tell the patrons the men's room is out of service. They can use the ladies."

I nodded. "Good thing it's not busy."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It wouldn't matter. Bella comes first."

Yes, she did.

***()***

I pushed the door open, grimacing a little at the smell. Obviously Mikey couldn't handle his liquor any better than he could handle women.

He was bent over the counter, splashing water on his face. He glanced up, his eyes bleary as he grabbed a couple paper towels, wiping his face and hands. I leaned against the door, crossing my arms and not saying a word, but I didn't stop staring.

He met my gaze in the mirror, his eyes flickering to the logo of my jacket. I hadn't changed from my work t-shirt and pants from earlier, so there was no doubt as to my occupation.

"Hey." He smirked, nervously. "Where's the fire, man?" A drunken snort followed his clever words. "Get it? Fire man…fireman?"

"Funny."

"Do I, ah, know you?"

"Nope."

"Can you move then, man? I gotta get out of here before my bitchy ex-girlfriend calls the cops. I wouldn't put it past her." He shook his head in disgust. "Women, ya know?"

_Oh fucking hell—he didn't just call Bella a bitch. Not my girl._

Any fleeting thoughts of a quiet talk were gone now.

Two fast, short strides and I had him pressed against the wall, my hand around his throat. "You want to know where the fire is, _man_? It better be under your ass."

"What?" he sputtered.

I pushed a little harder against his throat. "Listen, you good-for-nothing piece of shit. Listen well, because I'm only going to tell you this once."

His eyes widened as his face began to turn red.

"You had your chance with Bella. _You _fucking blew it. Your behavior blew it—not her. You don't deserve her. Stay away from my girl. You hear me?"

His face became redder and he clawed at my arm. I loosened my grip on his throat, letting him have the oxygen he needed. I really didn't want to have to perform mouth-to-mouth on this asshole.

But he proved to be as stupid as I thought he was.

"Why should I?"

I slammed him back into the wall. "She doesn't want to see you. She wants nothing to do with you. And I don't want to see you near her again—ever."

"What are you going to do about it?"

In a flash, I spun him around, smashing his face into the tile and cranking his arm up and over his back. He groaned as I pressed down, feeling the bones protest at the angle.

"I'm going to make sure you never come near her again. You don't talk to her, you don't look at her. And you don't fucking _ever _disrespect her again, or I'll come after you."

"Who the fuck are you?" he gasped.

"Your worst nightmare."

"What?"

I leaned closer, adding more pressure to his arm. Another moan of pain escaped his mouth. "Bella is my world. I protect what's mine. Do you understand me, asshole?"

"Yes," he groaned. "I'll leave."

"And?"

"Not come back," he grunted as I added a little more weight.

I stepped back, releasing his arm. "Good plan."

He turned around, his face red, one long imprint from the grout line of the tile running down his cheek. He cradled his arm against his chest and glared at me. He attempted to look tough as he flexed his shoulders. "Can I be excused now?"

I moved aside, indicating the door with a tilt of my head. "I'd go fast."

He sidled past, muttering under his breath, "Fucking whore isn't worth the trouble, anyway."

I didn't think; one second he was moving past me, and the next he was sprawled on the floor, flat on his ass, clutching his stomach after my fist drove into the muscles so hard, I knew I would feel it the next day. I stood over him, panting, as he writhed on the floor, gasping for air.

"I told you not to disrespect her," I hissed. "How stupid are you?" I straightened up with a humorless laugh. "Right—I forgot. You _are_ stupid. You let her go." I pushed at him with my foot. "Get out…get out now, Mikey, before I do something I might regret."

He scrambled to his feet, cursing at me. I didn't care what he said about me, as long as he didn't talk about Bella. He pulled open the door with a final glare and disappeared.

I fell back into the wall, covering my face with a groan. I wanted to beat the shit out of him. Pound him until he was unconscious for calling my girl names and touching her. I took in a couple of deep breaths to calm myself and then I pushed off the wall and washed my hands, needing to get the smell of him off me. Now I had to go and find Bella, make sure she was all right, and take her home. I knew how upset she would be.

Yanking open the door, I stepped out, freezing. Bella was in the doorway of Rose's office, and Mike was in front of her, leaning close and saying something. A deep growl ripped through my chest seeing him so close to her. The fucker obviously had a death wish.

Before I could move, Bella pushed on Mike's chest. "Go home, Mike. I'm tired of you. You're drunk."

"Not so drunk I couldn't do you," he sneered. "Remind you of what you're missing. A real man." He leaned forward again, saying something I couldn't hear.

My hands curled into fists. He was about to get his death wish granted.

I saw it happen in slow motion. One second, Bella was frowning, and the next, she was completely enraged. She curled up her tiny hand, drew back, and punched Mike—right in the nose. I heard the bone break from where I was standing. Blood spurted as Mike screamed—the sound reminiscent of a seven- year-old girl seeing a bug—grabbed his nose and stumbled back, falling flat on his ass…again. My head swivelled between him and Bella. She was cradling her hand against her chest protectively, still glaring at him as he moaned and rocked. "You crazy bitch! You broke my nose!"

"Don't you ever," she hissed at him, "_ever_ talk about the man I love like that again! Edward is worth a million of you! He treats me with love and respect, something you know nothing about. There is _nothing _I miss about you—not your selfish ways, or your pathetic attitude, and certainly not your tiny, pathetic excuse for a dick!"

I bit back a smile at her words. Nothing hurt a guy worse than those words.

Emmett's large form appeared in the hall, taking in the whole spectacle. He grinned at me. "Problem, Edward?"

I smirked back at him. "No, I think _Bella _handled it."

"I want him gone." Her eyes met mine, filled with anger and hurt, tears glistening in the corner. "Now. Or I might do something else." My eyes widened as I saw her foot lifting.

I stepped over Mike's whining form, wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her back into Rose's office. "Okay, Rocky. I think you've done enough damage."

"I'll sue," Mike whimpered. "I'm going to get you for attacking me."

I chuckled. "You really wanna go there, Mikey? Admitting a little girl like Bella did this"—I indicated his prone form—"to you? Your reputation is already pretty wussy."

"I'll tell them you saw the whole thing! And what you did to me in the bathroom!"

"I saw nothing," I stated firmly. "I did nothing. I was talking to Bella in Rose's office, and you obviously tripped and hurt yourself. When we came out to see what the commotion was in the hall, we found you lying here. Considering how drunk you are, it won't be a hard sell."

"And I saw them come out of the office," Emmett added. "You were already on the floor. I never saw Edward anywhere, except with Bella. Nor did anyone else. "

"You people suck," he groaned.

Emmett began to laugh. Mike lifted his head, groaning. "Aren't you firemen supposed to help people?"

Emmett nodded. "You're right." Leaning down, he grabbed Mike's arm, pulling him off the floor. "Let me show you out." Spinning Mike, he grabbed the scruff of his neck and the back of his pants. He lifted him like a sack of potatoes and started down the hall.

"Um, Emmett," Bella called out. "The front door is that way."

He smirked at her. "I know. But the garbage goes out the back door."

I tried not to laugh. I had a feeling Mike's bad night wasn't over yet.

Then I turned to Bella, running my hands over her. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

"He grabbed my arm. It's fine, though."

I reached for her wrist. "Let me see your hand, sweetheart."

"I hit him," she said with a sniff. "Hard."

"I know. I saw it." I brushed a light kiss on the swollen knuckles. "You packed a wallop into that punch."

"He deserved it."

I examined her hand, frowning as she gasped in pain when I tried to move her fingers. "I'm afraid you've hurt yourself, as well."

"It was worth it."

"Did it feel good?"

Her eyes were watery, but she nodded.

"Remind me not to get you angry at me." I winked at her. "I like my nose where it is."

She giggled-sniffed, and I wrapped my arm around her. "Let's go see Leah."

***()***

Leah shook her head as she wrapped the ice around Bella's hand. "What is it with you and hurting your hand, Bella?"

Bella shrugged self-consciously.

"It's not broken, but you popped a knuckle and it's sprained. I'm going to have to put you in a splint." She stood up. "I'll go get one and some pain killers and be right back." She patted Bella on the leg. "Try and hold off hitting anyone while I'm gone."

Bella groaned as Leah left the room. "Really?"

I snickered as I pulled her close. "No more knock-outs for you."

"I should have kicked him in the nuts."

My shoulders shook with laughter at the unusual aggression Bella was displaying, making me wonder what he'd said to her that angered her so deeply. I hunched down, meeting her angry gaze. "Trust me, sweetheart, calling him out in front of other guys and saying what a tiny dick he has?" I lifted her foot, running my fingers over her small instep. "That hurt way worse than any damage this little foot of yours could have inflicted."

Her cheeks reddened. "He was a lousy lover."

I covered her lips with my finger. "Please don't use the word lover when you're referring to Mikey. Not if you want me to stay calm."

She grinned against my fingers, kissing the pads. "He was shit."

I leaned forward, pressing against her. "Yeah? You found something better?"

"No..._he_ found me. He rescued me."

"You rescued him right back."

Our eyes locked. I was about to ask her if she meant what she said to Mike when my phone buzzed. Cursing, I grabbed it from my pocket, reading the screen. I read it twice and began to laugh.

"What?"

"Apparently Rose called the cops, and when they arrived, they caught Mike pissing on the wall outside the restaurant and promptly arrested him." I snickered. "She told them he'd been causing trouble inside as well, and they hauled his ass off to jail." I shook my head in amusement. "Mikey is not having a good night; his drunken attempt at reconciliation fails, he has a problem in the men's room and falls down—"

Bella interrupted me. "You mean he gets threatened in the men's room."

Rolling my eyes, I ignored her. I hadn't told her what happened yet. "He has _trouble_ in the men's room; his ex-girlfriend—and I stress ex _very_ strongly—breaks his nose and lets loose about his _shortcomings_, he gets hauled out like the garbage he is and then gets arrested." I grinned. "And Rose has banned him from the restaurant for life."

I spread my hands out. "No girl, no food, and no dick. And no chance of getting laid in the near future, I'd say—unless he makes a new friend in lock-up." I winked at her. "All around a bad evening."

Bella's eyes widened as she bit down on her lip, but it did no good. Seconds later, she was laughing. I wrapped my arm around her and dropped a heavy kiss on her head.

"Rose is sending some food over with Emmett. I got the girl, I got some food, and I definitely have—"

"Edward!"

I grinned, waggling my eyebrows at her. "Moves. I got moves, Bella."

She giggled. "You certainly do."

I pressed my lips to her ear, nibbling on the lobe. "I'm fairly certain on the getting laid part, too."

Her cheeks darkened as my mouth hovered over hers. "Am I wrong about that, sweetheart?"

"No," she breathed.

"That's what I thought…Rocky."

I was smiling as I kissed her.

* * *

**Protective Edward. Poor Mikey. They made a good tag team. And what she said...hmmm**

**See you on the weekend. **


	9. Chapter 9

_**~Edward~**_

Bella cried out in her sleep, sitting up and reaching for me. I pulled her to my chest, running my fingers through her hair and trying to comfort her as I made soft hushing noises. "I'm right here, Bella. Right here, sweetheart."

Leaning over, I snapped on the light and ran my thumbs across her wet cheeks, frowning at her obvious distress. "Hey, what's all this?"

"Don't leave me," she sobbed, burying herself back into me.

"_Bella_—"

Her plea stunned me. Unable to figure out what brought this on, I laid back, taking her with me and letting her cry it out. After we got home from the hospital, I'd given her the pain meds and she had fallen asleep quickly. I'd carried her to bed and read for a while before I came and slid in beside her. She had been restless, but once I'd wrapped my arms around her, she'd seemed to settle. But sleep hadn't brought her the rest she needed. Instead, her subconscious worked against her, causing this panic.

As if I could ever leave her.

Slowly, her sobs stopped, her body relaxing into my arms.

"I'm never leaving you," I murmured into her hair. "Never."

A shudder ran through her, and I tightened my hold. "Unless you tell me to go, I will _not _leave you."

"I don't want you to go."

"Then we're fine."

Her voice became a whisper. "I meant it."

"Meant what, sweetheart?"

"What I said earlier. I love you, Edward. I love you so much."

Hearing her say the words caused my heart to beat faster. An overwhelming feeling of peace settled in my chest, and warmth surrounded me. I felt as if I was finally right where I should be.

Her next words made me frown, though.

"You don't have to love me back. But stay with me."

I rolled so I was hovering over her. Thick tears ran down the side of her temples, disappearing into her dark hair. Her eyes were so filled with panic that my own filled with tears.

"Too late, sweetheart."

"Wh-What?"

"I'm already in love with you. I think I have been since the very second you trusted me enough to take you down that ladder. Holding you felt so right—like I found the piece of me that had been missing my whole life."

"You love me? You really love me?"

I grazed her soft lips with mine. Once. Twice. A third time. Nothing deep or passionate, nothing that would take us out of this moment. "How could I not?" I smiled at her, tracing her lips with my fingers. "Brave, selfless, perfect little person you are. I adore you, Bella. Everything about you." Lifting her injured hand, I kissed it gently. "Even your protective, fist-throwing side."

Fresh tears sprang to her eyes.

"Tell me what he said that upset you so much."

She shook her head.

"Was it about me?"

"Yes."

"They're just words, sweetheart. They can't hurt me." I wiped away the tears. "But I think they're hurting you. So say them, and then we can forget them. Because whatever he said, it isn't true."

She hesitated, biting her lip. "He said you were a pompous, possessive asshole with a huge ego."

"Well, he got one right. I am possessive about you."

"He said you were only dating me out of pity. I was so plain, I made you look better when I was beside you." Her eyes were downcast. "He said you'd leave me once you found someone better, and when you did, he'd be waiting. He told me you'd realize I wasn't worth all the trouble I always caused."

I drew in a deep breath, wishing I had hit him again when I had the chance. And harder. I lifted Bella's chin. "Hey. Look at me." I waited until her gaze locked on mine. "Then he'll be waiting until hell freezes over, because I am never leaving you. Ever. I can't…I can't even imagine the rest of my life without you in it."

"Really?" she whispered.

I nodded, cupping her face and kissing her again. "Do you think I'm a pompous, egotistical ass, Bella?"

"No! That's why I punched him! I couldn't stand to hear him say those things about you! You're so wonderful and warm… You're _everything,_ Edward."

"Then that's all that matters to me." I tucked a stray curl away from her temple. "And all that should matter to _you_ is that_ I_ think you're the prettiest woman in the world. He said all that to hurt you, not because there's any truth to his words." I shook my head. "You couldn't be plain if you tried. You have a beauty that glows from within, and it almost brings me to my knees every time I see you."

Cue her blush. It bloomed on her chest, flowing up to her cheeks, which warmed under my hands.

"And _that_ right there—that blush—is so fucking sexy."

"My stupid blush?"

"It's not stupid. I love it. I love how I can make you blush." I rubbed the end of her nose with mine teasingly. "With all the dirty things you let me do to you, the fact that you can still blush over some words astounds me. I love that about you. I love everything about you—including your clumsiness and fear of spiders. They aren't problems; they're part of you." I smiled at her disbelieving frown. "If it weren't for those, we wouldn't be here now. And there is nowhere, Bella… nowhere else in the world I want to be, except with you."

"Edward," she breathed.

"I want it all with you. I want to get to know everything about you, and when you're ready, I want to live with you. Marry you. Build a life and a family with you. I want it all—everything—with you. Only with you."

"I want that with you, too."

"Then we're done. No more exes and their bullshit. It's you and me. Us. Okay?"

She sighed, the sound shaky and deep. "Okay."

"Can you sleep now? Do you need more pills?"

"I only need you."

I shut off the light and curled up beside her, pulling her against my chest. "You have me. Always."

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you, sweetheart. So very much. That isn't going to change ; I promise." I kissed her hair. "Go to sleep."

There was silence. Then Bella's head tilted up. "Edward?"

"You're talking. Talking isn't sleeping."

"What are we going to tell your parents this weekend about my hand?"

I snickered. "The truth. I'll tell them that you punched some asshole in the nose for talking trash about me. My mother will love you instantly for sticking up for her boy, and my dad will take you downstairs and teach you some proper boxing moves."

"Oh."

"He'll even graciously let you use me as the punching bag."

"_Oh."_

"You'll have to kiss all my boo-boos afterward, though."

"Well, I could handle that, I suppose."

I grinned into her hair. "Good."

"I'll take it easy on you, Edward. I'll hold back when I'm throwing a punch. I'm not as strong on the left side," she assured me seriously.

Laughing, I kissed her neck, drawing the skin between my lips and nipping at the softness. "Thanks, Rocky." I nipped a little sharper. "Now go to sleep."

She curled in, and I felt her drift into sleep. I held her close, protecting her, loving her with all my heart.

I would happily do it the rest of my life.

_***()***_

I glanced over at Bella as she dozed in the passenger seat. The weekend had been a huge success. My mom loved her the second she stepped out of the car, blushing and shy, and fussed over her hand as she dragged her into the house. I got a peck on the cheek and a command to bring the bags in as she went past me.

Dad laughed, clapping me on the shoulder as I grabbed the bags. "Get used to it, Edward. She's been waiting a long time for this." I had to laugh—I was thrilled at the welcome she was being given.

As I suspected, Bella was doted on the whole time we were there. I had to fight for time with her. The funniest part of the weekend was finding out my mom had been taking kickboxing lessons, and she was the one who'd taken Bella downstairs for instruction. Bella had decided not only was my mom "kick-ass," but she loved the workout and was determined to take lessons herself. Dad and I had sat and watched them, and I had to admit Bella looked damn sexy as she'd copied my mom's steps, frowning in concentration to get it right, as well as stay on her feet. When the lesson had finished she'd been so excited, she jumped in my lap, laughing and kissing me. I'd promptly decided to take her on a quick trip for ice cream and had made out with her in the parking lot. Dry humping had never been so good. Judging from my father's smirk and the way my mom had chortled into her coffee mug when we got home, we'd totally been busted.

Hugs, kisses, and promises of another visit soon, ended the weekend. Both Bella and my mom teared up as I pulled away from the house. "We'll be back soon, sweetheart," I promised, kissing the inside of her wrist. "They loved you."

"I loved them. Both of them. You're so lucky, Edward; they love you so much."

My heart clenched. I knew the distance between her and her parents was hard on her. Her mother was busy with her life, and Bella rarely heard from her; most of the time, it was Bella reaching out to her, and even then, her mother was so full of her own life, she neglected to ask Bella about hers. I hated to see the sad look on my girl's face when she would hang up from a call that consisted of Bella listening to her mother with only the occasional word spoken on her part. It angered me that someone as special as Bella could be ignored by her mother, of all people.

Her father was a police chief in a small town and hated to travel. He was a quiet man, but she spoke with him often. She hadn't seen him in over a year, but he was good at calling her and remembering dates of importance. I had even spoken with him on occasion. I'd assured him I had nothing but the best of intentions toward his daughter, and his low, "I should hope so, since that's what she deserves," made me smile. I planned on taking her to see him soon as a surprise; I knew how much she would love that. Her mom could make her own arrangements to see Bella. It upset me when I found out she had cancelled on Bella the last few times she had tried to arrange a visit. It bothered me that Bella wasn't as important in her life as she should be. It also explained Bella's quiet fear of me leaving her, which would never happen.

"Well, I think you've been adopted now, so you're stuck with them. With all of us. Even Carlisle is very fond of you. So my whole family loves you."

Her smile was warm. "I'm good with that. Especially being stuck with you."

I winked at her. "Think of me as glue, Bella. Super glue. Never letting go."

"I like that."

"Mom and Dad are planning a trip into see us." I shook my head. "They hate coming into the 'big city' and I always go to them. But, suddenly, they meet you, and the city isn't a problem."

"You should see them more. I'm glad they're coming to visit. You can show them the firehouse and they'll see Carlisle. It'll be great!"

"I have a feeling I'll—_we'll_—be seeing lots of them."

She nestled her head into the cushion behind her. "Good."

Soon after, she drifted to sleep, her hand tucked into mine.

I loved watching her sleep. She smiled even when she was totally out of it. She muttered and had little conversations with herself, giggling at times, which always made me laugh with her. She sighed my name—a lot. She made me happy.

Everything about her made me happy.

I was never letting her go.

_***()***_

_**Six months later**_

I yanked my t-shirt over my head, looking around the empty locker room. It seemed everyone had plans for tonight. Even Emmett was busy. Bella was supposed to have the night off, but Rose had a private party book the restaurant, and now she was working. Rose rarely made exceptions about opening the restaurant on Mondays, but Bella told me it was too good of an offer for Rose to pass up, especially given that it was last minute.

I wanted to go home and see Bella. Talk to her. Kiss her. But with this big party and my evening shifts, I had hardly seen her in days, and I missed her. I missed her every time we were apart. Lately, I found myself wanting more of her. We'd been seeing each other for months; she practically lived with me now since we hated being apart, but still, it wasn't enough. Bella was it for me and I was ready for the next step. Bella, however, was more cautious. I shut my eyes as I thought of the conversation we'd had last week while we were out for a walk.

_I stopped at a window, pulling Bella to look at the rings sparkling in the sunlight. "You like any of those, sweetheart?" I asked, indicating the array of diamond rings they had displayed. _

"_No."_

"_Really? Too small?" I teased._

"_No, I never really wanted a diamond ring."_

"_But in the future, maybe?"_

"_No."_

_I looked down at her. "No, you don't want a diamond ring, or no, you don't want to get married?"_

"_Are you asking?"_

_I frowned at her. "No, it was a general inquiry. We've never really talked about it."_

_She sighed. "I never wanted a big diamond ring because I lose things easily. And knowing me, I would bump it or smash it—something."_

"_So you don't object to getting married. Just to a big ring."_

_She studied the window. "I have no objections to getting married…when we're ready. But I would like a band—just a simple band."_

_That made me feel better. If she didn't want a big ring, I was okay with that. But for some reason, I kept pushing. "What if I was ready? Are you saying you're not?"_

_She hesitated, and I grew frustrated. "It's a piece of paper, Bella. Nothing else would change, except we'd stop paying rent on two places."_

"_Why is this suddenly so important?"_

_I shrugged. "I guess I need to know we're on the same page."_

"_When we're both ready, Edward."_

_I studied her face, seeing only love in her eyes and a quiet plea for understanding. She wasn't saying no. She was asking for more time. I knew she was right. We both loved each other, and we were happy. _

"_What if I asked you to move in with me—permanently?"_

"_Is that what you want? Is that what you're saying?"_

"_I think maybe I'm ready for more, but I would happily accept living together for now." _

_She furrowed her brow as she thought over my words. She shifted her gaze back to the window behind me, looking at the rings again. "Why would you settle if that's what you want?"_

"_Because we both have to want it." I sighed in frustration and pulled her into my arms. "I'm sorry. I 've no idea what came over me, sweetheart. I shouldn't be talking to you about marrying me or even living with me while we're out running errands."_

"_But you want it."_

"_Yes. Think about it, Bella. Think about moving in with me for real. One lease—one place. We can talk about marriage further down the road. That's all I ask."_

"_That would make you happy?"_

"_For now, yes."_

_She drew back, her eyes wide. "And then…" _

"_One day, I'll marry you. I'll wait, Bella. You name the place and the time, and I'll be there, okay?"_

"_You're not upset?"_

"_No. I'm good."_

"_So any place?"_

_I grinned. "Anytime."_

"_I'll keep that in mind."_

I shook my head. I'd been a little on edge since that day. Bella, though, seemed to have forgotten the whole conversation. She'd been extra busy at work, putting in some long hours. I started a four-day break tomorrow and was hoping she might be able to swing a day off so we could talk all this through again. I wanted to know what she was thinking.

My phone chimed with Em's signal, and I picked it up, reading the text.

_**Ed-need you at the restaurant. Gotta situation. Hurry.- Em**_

I groaned. Situation meant Bella. I grabbed my bag and threw my stuff in. I needed to get to her.

_***()***_

I pulled on the door, noticing the big sign "_Closed for private function_" posted on the glass. Stepping inside, I scanned my eyes around the room. Obviously it was a formal party. Vases of flowers and candles were everywhere. The tables were rearranged with different linens. Small lights were strung around as well, giving the room a nice glow. But it was the ladder set up toward the end of the room that caught my attention.

And my girl sitting on top of it, her face hidden from view.

Cursing under my breath, I strode across the room, wondering where the fuck everyone was. There was Bella, once again stuck on the top of a ladder and caught in a dangerous situation, and no one was keeping an eye on her? I dropped my bag, grabbed one of the napkins from a table and started up the rungs, already talking.

"I'm coming, sweetheart," I called. "Stay still. Hold on, Bella."

She didn't move. I readied the napkin, planning on disposing of the spiders that must be scaring her and then carrying her down again. That could be the only reason she was sitting on top of the ladder. I was already practicing the loud speech they would all be forced to listen to when this was done. How could they let her go up on a ladder again? Why would she even agree to, when she knew how much it upset me?

I reached the top and immediately wrapped an arm around her, surprised to find she wasn't shaking. I looked at the chandelier but couldn't see any spiders. The damn thing was glittering in the setting sun, making it hard to see. "They're gone, Bella. The spiders are gone," I assured her. "Let me take you down."

She shook her head against my chest. "No spiders. Look again."

_No spiders?_

I tucked her in closer, holding her tightly, and leaned a little closer. I could see nothing but glitter. The crystals were so clean, they shimmered. We were so close to the chandelier, I could feel the heat of the lights. Narrowing my eyes, I finally found something out of place. Hanging from one of the smaller crystals right in front of me was a silver ribbon. I plucked it off the crystal, holding it up. Two rings hung from the ribbon. Two thick, simple bands, the centers carved in a deep design that, when placed together, formed a heart. I was holding wedding rings. My hand tightened on Bella as her arms held me closer.

"Sweetheart?" I breathed. "I thought you were stuck up here because you were scared…?"

Her head tilted up, a bright smile on her face. "I was scared, but I'm not anymore, Edward. I'm ready too."

I looked at her, shocked; her eyes were shining with excitement.

"You're ready." I tucked a curl behind her ear. "What changed, sweetheart?"

Her cheeks tinged pink. "When I thought about it, really thought about it, I realized I had no reason to be scared, because _you _were the man I would marry. I'm never scared when I'm with you." She smiled softly. "I know you said you'd be happy to live together, but I knew you really wanted more, and I wanted to give you more."

Warmth flowed through me at her words. "So, Ms. Swan…did you just trick me into climbing this ladder to ask me to marry you?"

"Are you shocked?"

"Yes."

"Yes, you're shocked, or yes, you'll marry me?"

"Both." A grin broke out on my face. "When?"

"Now."

"_Now_? How?"

"Look down."

I glanced below us, shocked to see the room had filled. Our closest friends were there. My fellow crew members— who were all conveniently busy this evening—were gathered, grinning at me. Rose and Emmett were smiling, their small son nestled in Em's arms. Bella's father and my parents were all beaming at us. Her mother wasn't there, but at this point, I wasn't surprised by her absence. The woman was beyond selfish and how she treated Bella sickened me.

My gaze flew back to Bella.

"You said name the place and time and you were ready, Edward. It's now."

"We need a license," I sputtered.

"Remember the forms Carlisle needed you to quickly sign last week for your insurance update?" She grinned. "Well, I might have slipped one of my own in there."

I beamed at her. She had thought of everything. License, guests, rings, and the perfect venue for the occasion. She'd even added the ladder—the spot we met. "So, now then?"

She nodded.

"You did all this?"

"Yes."

"For me?"

"For us. This is where, _how_, we started, Edward. You rescued me from this ladder, and now I'm asking you to rescue me for the rest of my life." She drew in a deep breath. "You haven't answered me yet. Will you?"

"Only if you rescue me right back."

"Always."

"One more promise?"

"Anything."

I leaned closer, knowing we were being watched. "I never want to see you on the top of this fucking ladder again," I growled into her ear.

She giggled. "Okay."

I gathered her up, starting down the ladder. "Then, yes, I will."

_***()***_

Half an hour later, I was standing in the same spot. The ladder was gone, and in its place, a flower- covered arbour—Angela's Petals had been busy today. Beside me stood Emmett, who was grinning so widely that his face _had_ to hurt. I tugged on my tie nervously, waiting for Bella.

When I'd gotten off the ladder, Bella had been whisked away by Rose before I could even kiss her properly. It felt like I hadn't kissed her in weeks, not just days, but I'd grinned when I realized the next time I kissed her, she would be my wife.

Em had handed me my favorite suit and told me the men's room was mine and he was glad I'd showered at the station. Then he'd informed me that I had twenty minutes to make up my vows. I'd stared at him as he'd winked. "Bella said to tell you her vows are five lines long and she's happy if you want to use traditional ones."

But I'd shaken my head. If she could pull this off in less than two weeks and keep me in the dark the whole time? I could come up with five lines that expressed what she meant to me.

Mulling over my words, I'd changed, grateful that someone— no doubt Bella— had thought to include a razor and aftershave. When I'd reappeared, my mom had pinned a boutonniere in place, some pictures had been taken and then, I'd been informed, my bride was ready.

My breath caught in my throat when she appeared, her simple, pretty dress swirling around her knees and a small bouquet clasped in her hands. Charlie looked proud as he escorted her to me; Bella looked radiant. She was smiling, happy, perfect. She was mine—and soon, I could tell the whole world that momentous piece of news.

With those we loved the most around us, we were married. Bella's vows were sweet words of love and promises of a lifetime with each other. Her last line made me smile through my tears as she slipped my ring on my finger. "I will love you forever, Edward— my husband, my heart—"she drew in a deep breath as a tear rolled down her cheek "—my hero."

My chest ached with her sweetness, and I smiled at my soon-to-be-wife. "Bella, the day I took you off that ladder was the day my life changed. All my life, I was missing something…some vital part that would complete me. Holding you in my arms, I found that missing part. I belong to you. I have my entire life; I just didn't know it yet. I will love you forever, be with you forever, and rescue you forever." I winked at her as I slid her ring in place. "My Bella, _my wife_, I look forward to being your hero—forever." Lifting her hand, I kissed her finger, sealing my promise.

And then, we were married.

And I finally got to kiss her—my sweetheart, my Bella.

My wife.

Forever.

* * *

**Lots happening this chapter for our couple! Pictures of the ring etc on my group page. See you mid-week. **

**Thank you for reading. **


	10. Chapter 10

**~Edward~**

"Can we really afford this?"

Bella's face was guarded as she spoke, but her eyes—those lovely eyes that could never hide anything from me—told another story. She loved this house as much as I did.

We hadn't been looking at houses, or even thinking of buying one. Since getting married, we had been enjoying being together, never having to separate, not having "hers" and "mine", but "ours." One day, I overhead Bella tell Rose her dream of having her own house. A yard for our children to play in. A place that would contain our memories and she wouldn't have to ever leave—a place where she felt safe. From that moment on, I began to make plans.

We had always liked this house from the outside. We saw it on our walks through the park and admired the huge porch and multiple windows. The day I saw the '_For Sale' _sign appear, I called the agent and did a walk-through with Carlisle and Emmett, wanting to be sure it was a good house for us to look at. Once the three of us determined all it really needed was some modernization, I made another appointment to bring Bella to see it. And here we were…

She walked around, her fingers running over the oak trim, gliding over the carved newel post and spindles of the staircase in silent pleasure. I stood behind her, describing how we could gut the kitchen and bath and easily transform them into rooms she would love. Everyone at the firehouse would help out with renovations, donating their time and expertise, knowing that when it was their turn, they, too, would have many helping hands for their project.

I smiled at her anxious expression. She was trying so hard not to be too excited and failing badly at it. Stoking her cheek with my thumb, I nodded. "My parents are giving us money toward the down payment as their wedding gift, and your dad insists on contributing the money he had set aside all your life _for_ your wedding, which we didn't use. Add to that what I've saved, and we're in great shape, even adding a budget for the renovations. The mortgage is less than what we were paying separately last year for rent."

"I don't have much to add to it."

I knew that was bothering her, but I didn't care about that fact. I wanted to buy this house for her. "You give me you, that's all I need. Let me do this. I want to buy you a house—buy _us_ a house. A place of our own." I winked at her. "Besides, you paid for the wedding."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure that counts."

"It does to me. Do you like this place, Bella?"

"I love it. We're so close to the park and I can walk to work… It's perfect."

"There's a garage out back with a workshop, too. There's a place for the garden you want, the fence is in good shape, and the house is sound. The owners updated the electrical panel and wiring a few years ago, and we checked it all out. It's good."

I leaned closer, brushing her lips with mine. "It's a great area, Bella. It's only a few blocks from where Em and Rose live, so that's a plus. Good schools, close to work for both of us, and we both love it." Tilting her chin, I gazed into her eyes. "But I want it to be exactly what you want. If you want something brand new, we'll look into that option. It might take us another year of saving, but we can do that. Or we can look at other houses."

She shook her head. "No. I love the neighborhood, and I love this house. I can see us here. I can see us raising our family here. I think"— she paused—"I think this house has seen a lot of love."

"The owners raised four kids here. They've gotten too old to keep it up, and are moving to a smaller place close to their children. I spoke with them the day I looked at it. They were both thrilled at the idea of a younger couple coming in and making it a busy home again."

"I want it," she whispered.

"Then it's yours. I'll call the agent."

_***()***_

I laughed at the conga line of firefighters and paramedics carrying boxes. I had great friends here. Not only had they all chipped in after we were married and sent Bella and me back to our favorite little cabin as a wedding gift, but they had all taken turns covering my shift so we had a week off to enjoy it. Then they all stepped up, helping with the renovations, and now they were moving us in. It warmed my heart knowing how much they cared about us.

Our offer on the house had been approved, along with the fast closing I wanted. A month after we signed the papers, the house was ours, and for two months, every chance I had, we worked on the house. The kitchen and main bath were both gutted and redone. Patio doors were put in the kitchen leading to the new deck we'd added on the back of the house. The powder room on the main floor was given a face-lift and the girls painted the entire house.

Today, we were officially moving in.

"What room, Edward?"

I glanced at our newest crew member. Japer had joined us just over a month ago—transferring from down south. His calm nature and humor made him a great fit at the firehouse. He had pitched in often with the renovations and had even taken over the lease on our apartment. Today, though, he was more distracted than normal. Alice was around.

Jasper was always distracted when Alice was around.

Since the day they met, the two of them had moved around each other like spinning tops, edging closer and drifting apart. His smile was always the widest when she would walk into the room. His hands always reached out to unburden her of anything she was carrying. She would always smile politely and thank him, then sashay away, leaving him looking after her with so much longing that you wanted to take pity on him and yell after her to give him a break. Bella said she liked him, but the whole firefighter as a career choice made her nervous. She assured me she was slowly wearing her down, and had a plan to bring them together today.

For Jasper's sake, I hoped it worked. He looked about ready to tear off his skin as he watched her moving around in cut-off denim shorts and a T-shirt tied up under her breasts.

"The den, Jasper," I instructed. "Those are Bella's books—well, a few of them." She had a lot of books.

My wife appeared beside me, smiling. "Jasper, would you mind unloading the books onto the shelves?" She grinned innocently. "Alice said she'd help. She knows how I like them arranged."

"Oh, yeah, sure, ma'am," he drawled. "Happy to help Alice…I mean you. Happy to help you."

Turning away, she caught my eye and winked. "Great. She said to tell you she was in the den. Don't keep her waiting too long."

"I won't," he called over his shoulder as he hurried away.

I shook my head. "Sweetheart."

She grinned at me, looking impish and adorable. "You may have just started something. I hope you aren't too fond of those books of yours. If those two combust in there, your novels may go up in smoke."

She laughed as she leaned up, resting her hand against my chest. "Worth it. Those two are as right for each other as we are."

I caught her against me, capturing her lips with mine. She tasted of coffee and the donut she'd been nibbling— sunshine, love, and pure Bella. "I love you."

"I love you." Then she swatted my ass. "Keep moving, my husband. I want the boxes in, the people gone and you in our bed by tonight."

I kissed her again, and then I hurried away.

No better incentive than that.

_***()***_

Returning from our walk, we approached the house as the sky changed colors, turning from busy daylight into the calm of twilight—Bella's favorite time of day. Blue gave away to dull saffron and gray, streaks of orange, yellow, and pink filling the horizon. Bella stopped walking, gazing at the house. The porch light was on, casting a soft glow over the front door, and showing the pretty wreath she had hung earlier. Small solar lights lit up the sidewalk, guiding our way up the path.

She squeezed my arm. "Our first night in our new home," she breathed. "We've walked past this place so often, and I loved it; I never thought it would be ours."

I wrapped my arm around her, holding her tight against my side. "We can grow old here, Bella. Raise our family here. Together."

She turned, gazing up at me, her eyes damp. "Thank you, Edward."

Cupping her soft cheek, I stroked the skin gently, removing the tears that had spilled over. "Whatever for, sweetheart?"

"For coming to my rescue that day. For being the man that you are, and for the way you love me."

Hunching down, I grazed her lips with mine, kissing her softly. Twice, three times. "I'll always rescue you. And you, Bella…you made it easy to love you. It was like breathing. The only thing that'll ever change about that, is how much _more_ I'm going to love you in this life—and beyond."

"Take me home."

Grinning, I scooped her up in my arms and carried her up the sidewalk and to our door, smiling at her soft giggles.

I bent down so she could open the door, and still holding her, I stepped into the house.

Our home.

I continued up the stairs, nestling her against my chest and kissing her.

"You can put me down now."

"Hush, I like carrying you. It keeps me in shape for when I have to rescue you."

"You rescue me every day, Edward. You're my hero," she sighed. "You always will be."

I nuzzled her hair, and then set her down on our bed in our new room. Cupping her sweet face, I smiled at her, in awe, as always, at the love I found in her eyes.

She would never understand…I may have carried her down the ladder that day, but it was she who rescued me by loving and accepting me as I was, not trying to change a thing about me. She allowed me to be myself, to be the hero for her, loving and protecting her. It was all I wanted to be—her hero…her Edward.

Lowering myself down, I kissed her, hovering over her lips and breathing her in.

"Always."

* * *

**This was supposed to be the last chapter...but the ladies in my group had a special request I couldn't refuse. So, one more chapter - posts this weekend. **

**Thank you for reading. **

**Thanks to both MC and JenRar for their beta work.**


	11. Chapter 11

**~Edward~**

I patted down my pockets, checking the ones in my jacket as well. "Shit."

Bella looked up from her plate. "What's wrong?"

"I must have left my wallet in my locker."

She grinned at me as she slipped another forkful of cake into her mouth. "Does this mean you have to do dishes to pay for dinner?"

I laughed. "If this was Rose's place, I could make that trade, but I think I need you to take care of the bill tonight."

She waved her fork dismissively. "I can do that."

"I need to get my wallet. The station is closed for the next forty-eight hours—I can't be without it for that long."

"Can you still get in?"

I nodded. "They aren't starting 'til the morning."

A problem had shown up with the building and we had to be out of the area until it was done. We were working out of a temporary place while the work happened. I'd been running late earlier and had forgotten to grab my wallet off the shelf.

"We can go grab it when we're done."

"Okay."

Bella took another mouthful of dessert, closing her eyes as she hummed at the taste.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I thought we were sharing dessert, sweetheart. It's almost gone, and all I've gotten is one taste."

Come to think of it, she'd barely shared her dinner, too. She always shared with me. She must be extra hungry today for some reason. That didn't bother me, but the cake she was eating was damned good. If I'd known she was going to eat it all, I would have ordered my own.

Her eyes lit up with mischief. "Oh," she drawled. She lifted the fork, the dark-chocolate cake, thick and rich, tempting me. "You want some more?"

"Yes."

She bit her lip as she leaned forward, sliding the cake between my lips. I groaned quietly at the taste, closing my eyes as I savored it, slowly licking the chocolate off my lips. When my eyes opened, Bella was watching me, her eyes wide, lips parted. "That," she breathed, "was so sexy."

I quirked my eyebrow at her. "It was delicious." I moved closer to her on the bench we were sharing. "But you want to know what would taste even better?"

She shook her head, her breathing picking up. Slowly, I ran my finger though the icing on her plate and pressed the soft fluff to her lips. "This."

I slipped my hand around her neck, yanking her to my mouth. My tongue licked and teased her softness, the sweet of the icing and the heat of her breath making me groan again. She gripped my waist as I ravaged her mouth, kissing her hard and deep.

Regretfully, I pulled back, pressing my forehead to hers. "Now that—" I panted "—_that_ was sexy."

"We need to go home, Edward. We need to go home—_now_."

I raised my hand. "Check!"

***()***

Our footsteps echoed in the empty station. Bella looked around at the vacant room. "It's so strange not to see everyone around."

I nodded. "It is. I imagine it's much louder at the temporary set-up. Emmett's working so it's bound to be."

Bella picked up a coat lying on top of a table. "I've never seen you, you know."

"Never seen me what?"

"In your gear. I've never seen you in your gear. I've seen you in photos and your dress uniform, but not your gear."

"No, I guess not."

"I bet you're hot. Hot and sexy."

I laughed. "Some days…very hot, but not the way you mean."

She glanced over at the pole, which gleamed dull in the light. "How sexy are you sliding down that?"

"Not sexy at all. Usually I'm hoping Em isn't following me and planning on squishing me if I don't move away fast enough."

She smiled wistfully as she put the coat back down. "Maybe one day you'll show me."

"If you want."

She nodded, stepping in front of me. "Yeah. I want." She slipped her hand up my neck, burying it in my hair and pulling me down to her mouth. Her tongue stroked mine, her breath hot and sweet in my mouth. I pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, desire flaring as it always did when she was close. She pulled back, panting. "Go get your wallet and take me home, Edward."

"Anxious, sweetheart?"

Her tongue traced my bottom lip. "I want you."

That was good enough for me. I hurried up the stairs and grabbed my wallet, pausing when the yellow color of my spare gear caught my eye.

Bella wanted to see me in my gear. She wanted to see me slide down the pole.

The station was empty.

An idea formed, and with a grin, I pulled off my coat.

***()***

**~Bella~**

I leaned against the counter, waiting impatiently for Edward. I wanted him home and naked in our bed. We'd been married for over a year now, and he could still make me want him with just one touch. One look from his scorching green eyes, and I was a puddle of need for him. Especially the past few weeks. I wanted him all the time.

Edward's voice calling my name made me look up.

"_Bel...la_…"

I frowned. "Where are you?"

"Coming to get you."

"What?"

Suddenly, faster than I could blink, Edward slid down the pole, landing on his feet in front of me, a huge grin on his face and wearing his gear. His jacket hung open revealing his tight T-shirt, and his helmet was perched on his head. "I hear you have a fire you need to put out, ma'am." He winked at me. "I think I could help you with that."

I tilted my head to the side and studied him. God, he was sexy. Tall, lean with muscles all in the right places, and so fucking perfect—perfect for me.

I smiled, running my finger down his chest to his stomach, feeling the roll of his muscles as he reacted to my touch. "Do you have the right…equipment for that?"

His voice was low. "Oh, I have what you need, pretty lady." He pulled me close, his breath washing over my face. "My hose is primed and ready for you."

I dropped my hand, palming his erection and groaning at the hardness of him. But I wanted something else first.

I stepped back. "You were pretty sexy coming down that pole."

"Oh yeah?"

"I'd like to see more of that."

"You want me to slide down the pole again?"

With a grin, I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket, scrolled through my music, and hit play.

"I'd like to see what else you can do on that pole."

"What?"

"I remembering you telling me you had moves, Edward. Show me."

"You want me to…pole dance?"

"Yes. For me."

He leered at me. "And what do I get if I do?"

I tugged my jacket off. "Me. Any way, _anything,_ any place in here you want."

He swallowed, a slow, sexy smirk spreading curling his lips. "Good thing the cameras are off."

I nodded. "Yeah, it is." I unbuttoned the top of my blouse, smirking at him. "Show me..."

He stepped forward, placing his helmet on my head, and shrugged off his heavy jacket. "Hold these for me."

Then, with a wink, he grabbed the pole and pulled himself up.

Edward clad only in his pants and tight shirt was a wonder to behold on the pole. His arms flexed, back bowed as he swung himself around, never breaking eye contact with me. He hadn't been lying when he said he had moves. Up, around, one armed, remarkably graceful, he moved and arched, the whole time with a huge grin on his face. My eyes widened as his feet hit the floor and he turned, winking and popping his ass at me, before dropping to a crouch and thrusting suggestively to the heavy beat of the music as he looked back, head tilted, his tongue peeking out between his lips.

_Fuck, he was good at this. Too good. _

I sat down in the chair by the counter and watched him, desire spreading through my body like liquid fire.

His long arm reached high over his head, grabbing the pole, and he lifted himself, wrapping his legs tightly around the metal. One glove, then two, hit the floor by my feet. His suspenders slipped off his shoulders. Tapered fingers slid down his chest as he bent backward, only held mid-air with the strength of his legs. In a blink, his shirt was off and on my lap. His chest gleamed in the muted light, his tattoos a dark contrast on his pale skin. I loved his ink and remembered him telling me how fascinated he had been with legends as a teenager. He'd designed the one on his arm, which told the story of a friendship between a fierce stallion and an eagle, wanting to carry it with him forever. His newest ink shone on his chest—my name and his combined over his heart. His mythical tribal sleeve flexed as he grabbed the pole with one hand, and with the other, he opened the snap of his pants. The air around us grew even warmer, and I felt myself beginning to pant softly. I wanted him. Every part of him.

When he wrapped himself around the pole, slowly winding his way to the floor, signaling the end of his performance, I clapped and wolf whistled. He ducked his head shyly and looked at me from under his eyelashes.

"How's that fire now?"

"It's an inferno."

He crooked his finger. "Why don't you come over here and let me put it out?"

Now it was my turn to swallow. His coat and helmet fell to the floor, and I stepped over them to get to him quicker. He was breathing fast, his chest heaving with exertion, a slight sheen of sweat covering his body. Standing in front of him, I breathed him in. Spicy, sexy, musky, and all Edward. All mine.

"What do you want?" I whispered.

"You."

"How?"

He pressed closer, dropping his head to my neck, his lips ghosting my skin. "I want your mouth on me, Bella."

I shivered.

"All of me."

I dropped to my knees.

***()***

**~Edward~**

My head fell back against the pole as my pants hit the floor, and Bella's mouth wrapped around my aching erection. Warm, wet heat enveloped my cock, and I groaned loudly. Her tongue began a tortuous circuit, gliding up and down, swirling around the sensitive head as her hands stroked my legs, then slipped around to grab my ass, pulling me even closer to her mouth.

"_Fuck!"_

She hummed around my dick, taking me deeper, the pleasure increasing as she moved faster, increasing the suction, and doing wicked things with her tongue and teeth. I grabbed the pole with one hand above my head and buried the other into her thick hair. I hissed and moaned, the sensations building and pulling me into the vortex where nothing but pleasure existed.

Her mouth…her hands…her sounds.

I was overwhelmed at the feeling of her moving, her hands gripping me, taking me deeper and deeper, until I couldn't stand the pleasure anymore—it was mind-blowing. I arched into her mouth, wanting, _needing, _to be deep inside her.

"Stop, baby! I'm going…_fuck_…Bella!" I panted.

She pulled back, her lips wet and swollen. "What do you want, Edward? Tell me," she whispered, tracing her tongue along the sensitive head.

"Inside you. Now."

I pulled her up, crashing my lips to hers. The sharp taste of my precum mixed with her taste made me groan into her mouth as our tongues glided together. Bunching her skirt up, I slid my hands up her legs and between her thighs, stroking her heat. Dropping my face to her neck, I moaned. "This turned you on, didn't it, my girl? Watching me shake my ass for you, turned you on. You're so fucking wet, Bella." I nipped her skin sharply. "My naughty girl."

She mewled, rocking against my hand as my fingers slipped inside her. "Edward, _please_."

"Grab the pole, Bella. Lift your arms and grab it tight. Don't let go."

She did what I said, and I lifted her, wrapping her legs around my hips. One powerful thrust, and I was inside her. Her eyes widened, rolling back in her head as I started moving.

Hard.

Fast.

Deep.

Our gazes were locked, our chests pressed together, breathing heavy. Her body undulated like a piece of rope caught in the wind. Arching, curving, bowing as she clung to the pole and met me thrust for thrust. Pleasure tore through me, and I begged for her to come with me as my orgasm spiralled through my body, burning me alive as it tore through my veins, exploding in a fiery roar that echoed off the cavernous walls. Bella's mouth opened, the sexiest gasp escaping as she stilled, her arms dropping and wrapping around my neck, my name falling from her lips as she buried her head into my shoulder and quaked.

I slid to the floor, holding her in my lap. Neither of us spoke for a moment. I nuzzled her hair, my hands running up and down her sides and back as she rested in my arms.

She tilted her head back, her eyes heavy. "You…that…wow."

"Is the fire out?"

She snuggled closer. "There's embers you may have to check on."

I smiled as I grazed her head with my mouth. "Why don't we go home, and I'll do just that? Maybe a tub would help."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

***()***

Warm water swirled around us. Bella was nestled between my legs, her head resting on my chest. I trailed my hands over her arms, fingers gliding across her silky skin. Occasionally, I pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, and she would sigh in contentment.

"You're quiet, sweetheart."

"Hmmm."

"You okay?"

"Hmmm."

I grinned against her skin. "Can't talk?"

"Hmmm."

I nipped her ear, playfully. "Did I fuck all the words out of you?"

She giggled. "Maybe."

"Oh, there's one."

"That was…"

"I know."

She tilted her head up. "I love you."

I cupped her face, bringing it closer to mine, and kissed her tenderly. "I love you."

She yawned—a wide, eye-watering yawn that made me smile. Kissing the end of her nose, I gave her a gentle shove. "Let's go to bed. I tired you out."

"Hmmm."

I laughed. "And the words are gone again."

***()***

Bella climbed on the bed, wearing one of my T-shirts which hung down low on her thighs. She knelt beside me, smiling. I ran my thumb under her eyes. "You look exhausted." Patting the pillow I smiled. "Lie down, and I'll hold you until you fall asleep."

She shook her head.

"No?"

"Not yet."

She bit her lip, looking at me, her hands clutching the bottom of the shirt. I frowned at her. "Bella, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Everything's…perfect."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"I have something to give you."

"Okay."

She reached over and slid a small package out from under her pillow, handing it to me.

"A present?"

She nodded. "I think you'll like it."

"Of course I will. It's from you, so I'll love it."

Her eyes were glossy. "Open it."

I made fast work of the wrapping, revealing a picture frame. I flipped it over, thinking it would be a picture of her, but instead there was a childish rendering of a firefighter's helmet and boots.

I studied the words, my eyes widening as I read them.

_**My Hero wears a**_

_** helmet and boots,**_

_**and **_

_**I call him Daddy**_

My gaze flew to Bella's. Her eyes were now filled with tears as she watched my reaction.

It all made sense now. Her sudden appetite, why she was tired, and her increased libido.

My wife was pregnant.

She was in my arms in an instant, my mouth on hers. I kissed her with everything I had to give. Our damp cheeks were pressed together, both of us shedding tears of joy as we celebrated this miracle of life. I drew back, my hands cupping her face. "Say it."

"I'm pregnant."

"How pregnant?"

"About six weeks."

I lifted her shirt, covering her stomach with my hand. I kissed the skin reverently. "Hi, baby. It's Daddy."

Bella giggled.

I glanced up at her. "You should have told me…before the pole dance."

She laughed. "It's fine, Edward. It's not like I got on the pole."

I groaned just at the idea. It was almost as dangerous as the ladder. "Yeah, that won't be happening."

"The doctor says sex is fine. In fact, it's good for me."

"Oh, yeah?"

She nodded. "She practically prescribed it daily."

I arched my eyebrow at her. "Is that a fact?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well then, I guess I'll have to make sure you take your medicine."

She grinned and cast me a sexy leer, only to yawn again. Laughing, I lay down, pulling her with me so she was resting on my chest.

"But for now, I think Mommy needs to sleep."

"Mommy. I like that."

"Me too."

"Daddy sounds pretty great, too."

I grinned. "Yeah, it does."

She hummed as I kissed her, my hand constantly stroking her tummy. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"You're the one who knocked me up," she mumbled sleepily.

"I did," I stated proudly, wondering how soon I could tell everyone. I held her a little tighter. "I'll take good care of you, Bella."

She looked up, her eyes filled with love. Love that was all mine.

"You already do, Edward. You're my hero. And our child will feel the same way. You'll always be our hero."

Their hero.

I smiled. Bella always thought of me that way. She made me see it was okay to be her hero.

A hero to her and our child.

I liked that.

A lot.

* * *

**Well, the ladies in my group wanted some pole action...hope that satisfied your cravings, my friends. **

**And that is it for our couple. **

**Thank you for reading. **

**A new fic will begin August 2nd ~ it is called Birthday Wishes. **

**The cover of my new book, Beneath the Scars, is being revealed on Monday and I'm so excited! You can check it out on my author page~come find me!**

**Melanie L Moreland, Author**

**See you next fic~ til then...be safe!**


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